I am republishing this 20 minutes RECESSION DELICIOUS recipe (initially posted in 2012) because grocery prices are crazy right now. This is fast, delicious and can be altered.  We love this ground peas and peas just as is, but you can add in pasta, potato or rice.

One day in the past, I stumbled upon a video of a 91-year old Italian-American grandmother, cooking pasta and peas just the way her mother cooked them nearly every night for her family during the depression.

She used an onion, a potato, and a can of peas,…. all items that didn’t need refrigeration and cost mere pennies.

This took me back to a year ago when I attended a pot luck at the Italian Club in Nashville. Someone had brought this dish that I couldn’t stop eating.

It was a sauté of ground beef, peas, onions, and olive oil. Out of all the things I could have treated myself to, this dish took my plate back for three helpings.

I am not hear to talk about socio-economic times, discuss politics or to depress you. I’m not a complainer, but I am a dreamy realist. I see the world through food. (that statement was written in 2009 during the recession, and here we are today in 2024), in strange times for different reasons.

Can I be brutally honest with you?  While I count my blessings every day to have a warm bed and good food to eat, I am in sticker shock every time I go to the grocery store.  I shop daily because it’s convenient for me. I can walk to my local Publix and I make myself walk almost daily to the Whole Foods (3.5 miles one way).

I try to choose grass fed beef which is healthier, but let’s face it, at $8 a pound, sometimes I choose something else.

As a food blogger, I probably do cook in my kitchen more than most and am acutely aware of how the prices have gone up. I’m also aware of how diseases related to fast food are on the rise, and how families no longer sit at the table the way they probably did for that Italian grandmother.

Ground Beef and Peas is Budget Friendly

If we need to adjust our budget (and we do), my first concern is my food budget.  What do I need to sacrifice?

That’s why I have easy, healthy, real food choices, that are fast, and practically brainless.

The grandmother in the video made me think of my grandmother, who lived through the depression, but was like me, in that she liked good food good. And, she knew how to make a five minute meal taste like a new culinary invention.

Today is my grandmother’s birthday. She would be 105 years old. She would still be cooking the exact same way…healthy, flavorful, uniquely fast, perhaps influenced a bit by the depression. Don’t try to picture the little Italian grandmother standing at the stove for hours cooking for her family.

My grandmother owned her own beauty salon, and cooked exactly once a week on Sunday night, only after all her clothes and sheets were pressed, and her newspapers were read. She was a rare beauty that never stepped foot in town in a “uniform.” She was a fashionista, donning heels, hat and gloves and threw her curvy body on a bus every day to get to down town, making a scene as if the paparazzi were following her.

Her allure and charm weren’t cut out from her Sunday night quick fires. Everything she made was authentic, such as spinach fritters, chicken and olives, or crabs and spaghetti, but it was fast, quick, earthy and a bit sexy, always hitting the senses with a surprise.

Italian Ground Beef with Peas and Onions from an Italian Grandmother

There would be lecture that “americanos” pronounced “ameriganos” don’t know how to eat. I look at their skin and I can smell their hair and know the garbage they are eating. But, you my Angela (pronounced Ahngela) have a grandmother that knows about food. Just look at me and you can see that I eat right.” Yes, she said that.

Since her day, the American diet has changed in that on one hand it has gotten worse, and on the other hand it has gotten much better. There are two different kinds of kitchens cooking (or microwaving) in America today. I’m grateful my grandmother Rose Dee (mother of Retro Rose) pointed me in her direction and never owned a microwave.

How to Make Ground Beef with Peas and Onions

Ground beef with peas and onions may not exactly be a “depression” dish, but perhaps a bit reminiscent of the peas and pasta dish that blanketed many Italian Americans during the true depression era and even my grandmother’s table.

A sauté of peas and onions is very Italian. You must use olive oil for the right flavor and a good sea salt and freshly cracked pepper. Simplicity always requires great ingredients. Peas and onions are good alone, or combined with rice or with potatoes, but with ground beef, it’s dinner.

I will not tell you to mix three kinds of ground meat together to make it more “foodie” or to pretend this is restaurant fare. It’s not. It’s meant to be Sunday night home cooking.

You can use whatever ground meat you desire, even ground lamb would be quite tasty, but this is just ground beef and not extra lean. You want good (I mean animal-treated right) good, ground beef that has some fat in it, because that is where the taste is.

Ground Beef Ideas from Spinach Tiger

I would eat this any time, though because it’s just good food and so would you. Don’t you dare call it hamburger helper or ground beef casserole or I will come and put tape over your mouth and eat this in front of you. It’s rustic, but that doesn’t mean it’s a compromise.

It’s good food, in fact, it’s delicious food that will stretch your budget and your view of ground beef and what fast and affordable can be. Just serve with a nice loaf of crusty bread to sop up the juices, and don’t forget that glass of red wine.

Here is a different version of this recipe, with added greens.

More Ground Beef Recipes from Spinach Tiger

• Hamburger Steaks 
• Burger Steak Recipe with Mushroom Sauce
• No Beans Chili
• Ground Beef Taco Meat
• Eggroll in a Bowl
• Ground Beef and Cabbage Decontructed
• Stuffed Cabbage with Ground Beef
• Ground Beef Cabbage Stir Fry
• Picadillo

Print

Recession Delicious – Italian Ground Beef, Peas and Onions

An easy delicious way to eat ground beef with an Italian twist, green peas, onions.

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 1 large white onion diced
• 1 pound ground beef seasoned with salt and pepper
• 1 – 2 cups frozen peas
• olive oil
• 1 teaspoon butter
• red chile flakes
• freshly grated parmesan or pecorino optional
• fresh herbs mint, parsley, basil, oregano, thyme…they all work

Instructions

• Heat olive oil and butter. Add onions, saute until soft.
• Add ground beef that has already been flavored with salt and pepper. Cook until medium rare.
• Add in frozen peas, right at end and allow them to defrost and heat up, while the meat is on its way to medium-well done. Toss in fresh herbs, red chile flakes. Season to taste.

Notes

This is an EASY recipe. You may be tempted to keep adding other ingredients, but the simplicity is what gives this dish it’s proper structure and flavor. More is not always more.

The post Italian Ground Beef, Peas and Onions appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

Athough it takes more time than just sticking sausage and peppers in the oven, it’s probably one of the best methods for tender yet caramelized sausage that feeds a crowd well and my friends would agree! Double or triple this recipe when the crowd comes over and serve it with my overnight focaccia (recipe coming this week).

Sausage, Peppers, Onions Stovetop Process

• Use multi-color bell peppers: two bell peppers, one onion to one pound sausage.
• Flavor the olive oil first with some garlic, which is removed once golden.
• Place sausage in large pan with water and steam until they are nearly done.
• Cool, peel and slice across diagonally.
• Slice onion and sautè until softened. Set aside.
• Sautè sausage with slivered pepper.
• Add in onions.
• Season with salt and pepper.

Why Peel the Sausage?

The sausage will be much better peeled and not have that rubbery texture on outside. Once you peel sausage, you will always want to do that whenever you’re adding bite-sized sausage to a dish.

I ended up having to use to two large frying pans for 4 pounds of sausage for a potluck. I’ll write the recipe for one pound of sausage, so increase the amount according to your needs.

Sausage and Peppers is Great for a Potluck, Party or Game Day

Potluck or Party: It’s a great “take to” dish, once cooked and covered with a lid. You can also serve with rolls for sandwiches. This is a dish that can be made ahead and reheated. Double the recipe for a crowd.

Tips

• Slice Peppers and Onions ahead of time. Cover with plastic wrap.
• Increase amount of peppers and onions according to your taste.
• Serve with pasta for a bigger meal.
• Serve with rolls or focaccia for sandwiches.
• Serve with a side salad.
• Serve with crispysmashed potatoes.

More Recipes with Italian Sausage

• Italian Sausage Lentil Soup
• Italian Sausage and Greens Stir Fry
• Creamy Sausage Ragu with Pasta
• Creamy Spaghetti Squash Sausage Casserole
• Broccoli Rabe with Italian Sausage
• Italian Sausage Stuffed Eggplant
• Italian Sausage Balls
• Low Carb Sausage Breakfast Casserole
• Spicy Italian Soup with Sausage

Pin This

Print

Stovetop Sausage and Peppers

Authentic Italian Sausage and Peppers

Ingredients

• 1 pound Italian Sausage Links
• 2 bell peppers varied colors
• 1 large onion
• 1 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt
• pepper

Instructions

• Seed and cut bell peppers into 1/2 inch slivers. Set Aside
• Cut bell peppers into 1/2 inch slivers. Set Aside.
• Slice onion into slivers and sautè in olive oil on medium low heat until softened. Remove to a bowl.
  
• Place sausage in frying pan with 2 inches of water on medium heat until sausages are almost cooked. This steams the sausage.
• Cool. Peel. Cut across into bite sized pieces.
• Fry garlic cloves in oil in large frying pan until golden. Remove garlic cloves.
• Add sliced sausages to this pan. Sauté for a few minutes on medium heat.
• Add peppers to sausage. Once the peppers are softened, add the onion back in. Cook for a minute to warm the onion.
  
• Season with salt and pepper as needed.

The post Stovetop Sausage, Peppers and Onions for a Crowd appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

I had a friend, Jayne, who just returned from Paris, bragging about the soup I also remember from a trip there long ago and it dawned on me that I had never made French Onion Soup. I loved the idea of having to find a new recipe, tweak it to my personal taste and inviting her over.

The first thing I had to do was order authentic french onion crocks that I could put under the broiler to lightly brown and melt the cheese.

I read quite a few recipes with various opinions on onions, cheese, croutons, wine, sherry vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. I can happily say I hit it well on the first try, but pulled it tighter on the second try.

I made it twice within a few days, mainly to tweak the bread and the cheese. The soup itself was rich and delicious. The onions were perfectly caramelized to yield a sweet flavor amid an umami broth made with white wine and organic beef broth.

The Best French Onion Soup Crocks

The first thing I did was to order the soup crocks on Amazon. So many choices:

• Size which range from 16 ounce to 28 ounce.
• Color (the traditional beautiful brown crock or the newer modern neutral crocks).
• Oven safe, specifically, broiler safe.
• Lid or No Lid.

I chose these 22-ounce traditional brown crocks that can sit under a broiler while the cheese melts. They are timeless, beautiful and serve for many other purposes. I opted no lid, for stackable reasons.

What is French Onion Soup?

Ingredients for Onion Soup

You have to make a few choices in making French Onion Soup.

• Onions (Yellow or White)
• Bread (French Baguette or Croutons)
• Wine (White or Red Wine)
• Sherry Vinegar or Worcestershire (maybe both)
• Cheese (Gruyere or Swiss)
• Beef Broth (Boxed or Homemade)
• Thyme Sprigs

What Kind of Bread to Use for French Onion Soup?

The best kind of bread is French Baguette, because it toasts very crispy to almost crouton style. The bread is small in diameter, so I like to use two pieces, side by side. You might also be able to use a sourdough bread, but test out how well it toasts. Just don’t use white toast bread, as it will quickly disintegrate into the soup.

What Kind of Onions for French Onion Soup?

The first time I made the onion soup, I used yellow onions, which are the ones in the brown skin. The second time I mixed it up just to see if there would be a difference. I think the yellow onions caramelize better. But that doesn’t mean you can’t use other onions. This is a very flexible recipe, if you get the technique right.

Process for Caramelizing Onions

• Slice onions thinly and do your best to slice evenly.
• Add butter and oil to pan, on low heat.
• Turn about every ten minutes.
• TIP: Use a cast iron pan for this part for best results. You can use an enameled dutch oven, but they don’t brown as easily

What Kind of Wine is Best for French Onion Soup?

I went back and forth between using red wine or white wine and both times I used white wine. I learned from Marcella Hazan that white wine is the premier choice for bolognese or tomato sauce against the heavier tomatoes, whereas red wine can sometimes be bitter. Thus, I chose Pinot Grigio. You could use a sauvignon blanc or chardonnay. However, I’ve seen some like Tasting Table swear by red wine.

What Kind of Cheese is Best for French Onion Soup?

The first time I made the soup, I used a pre-sliced Boar’s Head Gruyere. The second time I used an imported Swiss Cheese from Boar’s head which is lactose free and my favorite choice.

What Best Accompanies French Onion Soup?

Simple Green Salad

French Onion Soup is rich and filling. Accompany this with a simple green salad with a champagne vinaigrette dressing. I like to buy fresh green leaf lettuce (not in bags). It saves money and the salad greens last longer. Dress lightly with vinaigrette, salt and pepper.

French Desserts

• Pots de Creme
• Sugar Free Pots De Creme
• Italian Chocolate Mousse
• Sugar Free Chocolate Mousse
• French Raspberry Tart

Tips for Making French Onion Soup

• Make the broth and onions the day before. Heating it up the next day results in more flavor.
• Use French Baguettes sliced evenly and toasted well so they hold up in the soup.
• Slice the onions as easily as you can, so you won’t have any burnt pieces.
• Use broil on low. It takes about 4 minutes to properly melt the cheese.

More French Recipes

• Steak Au Poive
• Duck Confit
• Frisee Salad with Poached Egg, Shallot Vinaigrette
• Grilled Lollypop Lamb Chops, Mint Pistou
• Mixed Seafood in Wine Butter Sauce
• Sole Meuniere
• Beef Bourguignon
• French Tomato Tart
• Veal and Turnip Stew with white wine

Pin This

Print

French Onion Soup Recipe

How to Make Authentic French Onion Soup

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 yellow onions
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1 tablespoon worcestershire or fish sauce
• 4 fresh thyme sprigs
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon umami seasoning optional
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
• 8 slices gruyere or swiss cheese
• 4 slices french baguette see notes

Instructions

• Peel and slice onions.
  
• Melt butter and oil in pan. A cast iron frying pan will caramelize faster than an enameled cast iron.
  
• Keep the heat on low and turn onions every ten minutes for the next 40-50 minutes until the onions are a golden amber color.
  
• Season onions with salt.
• Stir in flour until all onions are covered.
• Deglaze with wine for about five minutes until alcohol burns off.
• Add in beef broth, thyme sprigs, bay leaf.
• Add in worcestershire or fish sauce and black pepper.
• Add in sherry vinegar to add brightness.
• If you can make this part a day in advance and then reheat for boosted flavor.
  
• Make sure you start with hot soup. Preheat broil on low.
• Dish out soup among four bowls. Top with toasted baguette and cheese.
  
• Broil on low mode of broil for five minutes.
• Top with chopped parsley or thyme.
  

Notes

Some french baguette are small and I used two slices per bowl, side by side.

The post French Onion Soup Recipe appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

When I was growing up, the stuffing was actually stuffed into the bird and that was my favorite part. I liked it soft and moist, as opposed to crispy edges.

More recently, I’ve changed my tastes, as at some point stuffing the bird became unsafe, and the only bread stuffing available had those crispy edges I grew to love, as long as there was gravy.

When I moved to the south, I discovered there was no stuffing. There was dressing, made with cornbread and on the sweeter side, although it still included the basic ingredients of celery, onion and sage.

After you get the basics down, the fun begins, because you can add in your favorite flavor/texture additions.

All of these are easy stuffing recipes, that can be adapted.

Grain Free Stuffing. This is my personal favorite. Grain Free Stuffing made with these grain free biscuits.  Recipe Here.

Apple Sausage Sage Stuffing. We love sausage, or sausage with apples. This stuffing has all the Fall flavors and is a mix of crispy top and very moist underneath.  You can skip the sausage and just do apples or add in pecans. Recipe Here.

Cornbread Dressing with Homemade Corn Bread. Recipe Here. 

Cornbread Dressing with Sausage and Pecans. Recipe here.

Grain Free Stuffing that tastes like dressing, although there is no corn. My secret is using these grain free sweet potato biscuits and following this stuffing recipe.

Gluten Free Cornbread Biscuit Stuffing Recipe Here

Making Easy Stuffing Recipes and Dressing for Special Dietary Needs

Most of these recipes can be adapted to special needs.

• Dairy Free: All of these stuffing recipes start with butter, but you can make stuffing with olive oil or avocado oil.
• Vegan: You can exchange chicken broth for vegetable broth and leave out any meats.
• Keto: There is a fabulous grain-free stuffing that has become a tradition in our home.
• Paleo: We add little sweet potato to the biscuits that make the grain free stuffing, which it taste similar to a corn bread dressing. This can be made with sausage or pecans.

Use Easy Stuffing Recipes for Amazing Leftovers

This is the grain free stuffing stir fried with left over turkey. Stuffing Hash. Recipe Here.

Turkey Pie Reinvented, using stuffing and more. Recipe Here. To make this keto/paleo, you can use the dough from the chicken pot pie recipe.

Roast Turkey with Video. If you love stuffing, you’ll love this no baste cheesecloth turkey. Recipe Here.

Best 50 Thanksgiving Recipes Here

The post Six Easy Stuffing Recipes for Every Preference (Gluten free, Grain Free Options) appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

Oven fried pork chops with peaches is a dinner that merges summer and fall.

This end of summer is a bit different for most parents. We’re helping out with the twins, as for now, they are doing remote school here. It’s the first week, and so far so good, but it will take time to see how this pans out.

Oven fried pork chops peaches can be one of the dishes helping make life just a little better.

Pork chops is comfort food and peaches is the happy food. Together the taste is great. If you remember I used grilled peaches with these amazing pork ribs and did a peach blueberry compote with these grilled pork rib eyes. Pork loves fruit, and I love an easy recipe.

All you need to do is slice some peaches or nectarines, add in some thinly sliced onion and bake your pork chops all in the same pan with a little rosemary or thyme. Either herb works well. You could even add in some sage.

Brine Your Pork Chops

If you are making thick pork chops like these, I highly recommend you first brine them for about 30 minutes to tenderize them. Place them in a mixture of cold water, with some salt and sugar. You can just use salt if you want to skip the sugar. Add some herbs to the water.

This recipe would work very well with rib-eye pork chops which are naturally a bit more tender.

Oven Fried Pork Chops are Easy and Versatile

The dish is done when the the pork chops are browned. The peaches cook right along with the pork and it can all be eaten together making each bite savory with a bit of sweet.

More Pork Recipes from Spinach Tiger

Pork Chops in Tomato Sauce with Green Beans

If you want to make a breaded pork chop, try these mustard breaded oven fried pork chops.

If you like pork chops with fruit, you might also like these baked pork chops with rosemary and apples.

Mock Porchetta with Root Vegetables

The post Oven Fried Pork Chops with Peaches appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

At the time I had sent few jars of healthy soup down the street to Retro Rose when she was sick. She called me up to say, “that carrot soup is fabulous.” Just when I was about to reply “see, healthy food is good” she adds, “it would be great on mashed potatoes.”

Well, as we say in the South, bless her heart. And, I did, literally with carrot soup.

Did you know that while carrots have had their acclaim as a food high in antioxidants from beta carotene, there is new breakthrough research which has proven carrots to reduce cardiovascular disease. Read about that here.

A shopping trip to Whole Foods adorned my counter with this beautiful bounty, which I posted to instagram promising to return with healthy, real food soups and smoothies.

A few hours later I had heart healthy carrot ginger soup and cancer fighting broccoli kale soup.

I started first with carrots, orange and ginger. I threw in a golden beet, and lots of ginger, along with celery, leeks and garlic. The golden beet will bring a slight earthy flavor to this soup, which you may or may not like, but it’s yellow and heart healthy. I also used a whole orange and a good nob of fresh ginger.

The soup is creamy without cream, and has a zing to it from the ginger.  It’s low in calories, dense in nutrition and filling. When this soup was reheated, it was just as bright, spicy and fresh tasting, and didn’t need another thing, except a little salt.

The Carrot Ginger Soup Process

I used one pot, one sauté pan, and the Vitamix. The pot contained six cups of water, two pounds of carrots, a half onion, celery, part of a leek, and a golden beet, making a flavorful broth. All the vegetables and some of the broth go into the soup.

The pan contained olive oil, chunky onions, shallots, and celery. Once they cook down, add in garlic and ginger, and feel free to add in fresh herbs such as  thyme or parsley.

Carrots are the star to the carrot ginger soup, but the secret to the soup, however, is the slow sauté of the shallots, leeks, and good amount of celery. Once you begin to smell this combination when it nearly caramelizes, you will know exactly what I mean. This is your flavor booster.

Once the carrots are cooked or nearly cooked, add them to the Vitamix with onion/celery mixture and a cup or two of broth. This is optional, but you can add more sweetness by adding in one whole navel orange, peeled. Once you begin mixing, you’ll know if you need to add in more broth. Add a little at a time, until you get the creamy consistency you desire.

In my next post which continues down the clean eating street, I’ll show you what I did with the kale and broccoli.

More Healthy Soups

Green Health Soup

Broccoli Basil Soup

Paleo Vegetable Beef Soup

Mexican Chicken Rice Soup

Borscht

Healthy Slow Cooker Chicken Kale Soup

Print

Carrot Ginger Soup for a Healthy Heart

Heart Healthy carrot ginger soup, gluten free, vegan and only containing fresh whole food, perfect for any healthy eating program and Whole 30.

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
• 2 pounds organic carrots peeled
• 1 golden beet peeled (optional)
• 1 onion
• 2 cups coarsely chopped celery
• 1 onion roughly chopped
• 1 inch piece fresh ginger minced
• 1 garlic clove minced
• handful fresh herbs such as parsley thyme
• 1 navel orange peeled
• 6 cups water
• salt
• pepper

Instructions

• Chop carrots and goldent beet into approximately 3 inch pieces.
• Add half of the onion and 1 piece of celery to cold water with the carrots.
• Bring to boil, reduce heat to medium boil and continue to cook until carrots are nearly soft.
• In the meantime, heat olive oil in saute pan.
• Add onion and chopped celery until softened.
• Finely chop the herbs.
• Add in herbs, ginger and garlic and cook for five minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Add cooked carrots and beets with the vegetables from the pot to the vitamix.
• Add in the vegetables from the pan.
• Add one cup of the broth.
• Mix until well incorporated.Add more broth as necessary until you get the consistency you want.
• This will give you four servings.

Notes

Optional: You can make this brighter and sweeter by adding to the vitamix a whole navel orange peeled. This is recommended if you add in the beet.

The post Carrot Ginger Soup for a Healthy Heart appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

I use my roasting trick of salting for a day or more in the refrigerator and then baking at a high heat. The green pepper, onions and potato will go in after ten minutes. You can salt the chicken pieces up to three days, but the prep time is no more than ten minutes, making this an elegant fast food, appropriate for any season or occasion.

You can also make Italian Baked Chicken in a Sheet pan

I’ve made this in a sheet pan at times also. Just add either potatoes or turnips and green peppers after about ten minutes.

Even eaten at room temperature it’s a winner, so feel free to take this to the next potluck. (Just cut the breasts in half or make it with thighs only).

To save money, I usually buy a Publix Greenwise whole chicken or a Whole Foods Belle Evans Air Chilled chicken, and have the butcher cut it into 10 pieces. I don’t serve the backs; they are the chef’s private snack.

You can also choose to freeze those and save for chicken stock.  he butcher will ask you how you want your chicken cut. I always get the 10 pieces. When you get home and find the breasts too large, you can cut those in half.

Use a green bell pepper when baking chicken or braising chicken. The green bell pepper sometimes gets a bad rap, because it’s often served too raw, but it is the best pepper for flavoring chicken when roasting, braising or baking.

There is a slightly different flavor than a red bell pepper and when married with onion, and a little garlic, it creates a perfect medley, yet it doesn’t take over the dish and is so good with roasted potatoes.

Baked chicken pieces make for great leftovers.

I will purposely make a lot of chicken in pieces, so I can have a good protein lunch for the next few days, and each piece can be frozen separately.

Chicken Za’atar with Charred Lemons and Turnips

Grain Free Chicken Parm with Pepperoni

Cast Iron Roasted Chicken Thighs with Tomatoes

Roasted Chicken with Peppers, Onions

Low Carb Chicken Picatta

Low Carb Chicken and Cauliflower Rice 

Print

Italian Healthy Baked Chicken Recipe

Italian style roast chicken with potatoes, peppers, onions, and fresh herbs makes for a very healthy dinner.

Course Entree

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 4

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 1 chicken cut into 10 pieces or any combination of pieces you prefer.
• 1 onion cut into slices
• 4 garlic cloves whole
• 1 bell pepper cut into strips
• Two tablespoons fresh herbs rosemary or thyme work well
• 2 medium sized potatoes peeled, cut into large cubes or wedges
• salt
• pepper
• olive oil

Instructions

• Salt chicken pieces, wrap in plastic for 1 to 3 days
• Remove chicken, rinse off in cold water, pat dry with paper towels.
• Season with salt and pepper and allow to sit out for 30 minutes before baking.
• Preheat oven to 425
• Warm pan in oven for 5 minutes before placing chicken in.
• Place chicken in pan, skin side down and bake for 10 minutes
• Toss garlic, onion, potato and pepper strips with a tablespoon or so of olive oil, herbs, salt and pepper.
• Add in peppers, onions, potatoes.
• After another 10 to 15 minutes, turn chicken pieces over. Continue to bake for another ten minutes until chicken is golden brown and juices run clear.

Notes

Use any combination of fresh herbs such as sage, rosemary, parsley, thyme. Two tablespoons if fresh, 2 teaspoons if dried.

The post Italian Healthy Baked Chicken Recipe appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

This might be just the dinner you need after all the indulging during the holidays. Imagine Italian chicken sausage, roasted caramelized fennel, roasted cauliflower, fresh spinach and olive oil coming together to orchestrate, flavor, texture and still be so good for you.

After eleven years of blogging, and 1200 recipes, I know what you’ll be looking for. You love easy, tasty, healthy dinner ideas.

In this collaboration, I chose the pre-cooked Al Fresco Italian chicken sausage and made an absolutely delicious dinner in twenty minutes.

I’ll tell you why easy big fat healthy dinners are important to Spinach Tiger. In addition to running this site, I have a keto home bakery, which has become quite successful.

I need food I can grab and make quickly that is good for me. This is the kind of dinner I thrive on.

Al Fresco Chicken Italian Sausage is Pre-Cooked

This  Chicken Sausage is pre-cooked, which means you can easily slice across and place on sheet pan or in the air fryer. No double cooking necessary, which is an amazing convenience. It’s lower in calories. Perfect for a quick, healthy, delicious mid-week meal!

I chose the Italian chicken sausage that already has red peppers in it, and it pairs nicely with the fennel. Everything in this sheet pan will be perfect in about twenty minutes. During the last two minutes, I throw the spinach over it evenly, and it cooks down. Then you simply toss it all together and pass the parmesan or pecorino romano cheese.

I added a heaping teaspoon of red chili peppers, and we loved that extra bit of heat. Serve that on the side if kids are eating this dish.

This dinner can be prepared two ways:  Sheet Pan or Air Fryer or Air Fryer. I made this twice using both methods and it was so delicious both ways that we fought over the last bite.

This is one of the few sheet pan dishes where everything can be roasted at once.

That’s not always the case, but it’s been trendy and I know people want the easiest cooking option.

Al Fresco Italian Chicken Sausage is Perfect for an Air Fryer Recipe

However, I am a fan of the air fryer for some dishes. This is also one of those dishes that can be placed in the air fryer and made in ten minutes. My air fryer is a smaller version, and I did it in two batches, thus twenty minutes, but it’s passive cooking and the clean up is so easy.

I made this twice in one week to make sure I was certain of both cooking methods and there were no complaints. We loved this dish. It hits all of our notes for healthy, hearty, flavor, texture, and big fat healthy yum.

Ways to play around with Italian Chicken Sausage Dish

How do I replace the fennel? 

Fennel is one of my favorite crunchy veggies that is often made as a salad with a citrus. I love it braised or roasted, as it has a slight licorice note adds much to a sausage dish.

You can use celery, sliced thinly across. You can also add in more cauliflower if fennel is not your thing.

How do I replace the spinach? 

First of all use fresh spinach and only add it in at the end. You can replace with kale or swiss chard if you want a different green.

Melt Mozzarella Cheese

Sometimes kids will grab onto cheesy casseroles easier, and you could always top with mozzarella and stick under the broiler for a few minutes.

Add in Rice or Pasta

Add a starch in the form of pasta or rice, especially if you are serving kids.

Make Pita Tacos

I like to get creative in the kitchen. Warm up some tacos and stuff with Al Fresco Sausage and Cauliflower for a twist.

More Low Carb Recipes Where You Could Use Al Fresco Italian Chicken Sausage 

The good news in making these recipes is that the sausage is already pre-cooked. A quick browning is all you need to do.

Low Carb Three Cheese Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Casserole 

Spaghetti Squash Casserole with Sausage and Mushrooms

Sausage Cabbage Soup

Sausage Frittata with Ricotta and Spinach

Print

Italian Chicken Sausage Sheet Pan Dinner

Chicken Sausage, Fennel, Cauliflower, Spinach made in air fryer or sheet pan. (Low Carb)

Course dinner

Cuisine Italian

Keyword air fryer,, caulfilower, chicken sausage,, sheet pan,

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 1 package Al Fresco Italian Chicken Sausage 4 links
• 1 head cauliflower
• 1 bulb fennel thinly sliced
• 1 medium onion sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil may use less
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes optional
• 2 tablespoons pecorino romano cheese or parmesan

Instructions

• Slice sausage across into 1/4 inch discs.
• Cut core out of cauliflower. Cut cauliflower into small pieces.
• Cut off tops and end of fennel bulb. Slice Fennel into strips
• Slice onion into thin strips.
• Toss the vegetables with olive oil, just enough to glisten.

Sheet Pan Method

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Spread vegetables and sausage evenly on sheet pan.
• Roast for 20 minutes, turning over at ten minutes.
• Add handfuls of spinach over the ingredients in pan.
• Bake for another three minutes until the spinach in wilted.
• Serve with Pecorino Romano and crushed red pepper flakes.
• Season with salt and pepper as needed.

Air Fryer Method

• You can mix all meat and vegetables together, except for the spinach.
• Roast in two batches for ten minutes each, until sausage looks browned.
• Toss fresh spinach into the ingredients. It will wilt naturally.
• Serve with Pecorino Romano and crushed red pepper flakes.

The post Italian Chicken Sausage Sheet Pan Dinner, Air Fryer Option appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

This is a breakthrough, even for me who often creates paleo or grain free recipes.  I do this for all my readers who struggle with food allergies, diabetic diet concerns and those on a ketogenic or low-carb diet. Each serving is 6 net carbs!

Almond Flour  Grain free Biscuit Recipe Serves as the Base for Grain Free Stuffing

I had the genius idea to start with this grain free biscuit recipe that gets better every time I make them. The key to the success of this biscuit getting high and fluffy is to make sure you use extra large eggs and really whip the whites well. If your egg whites aren’t gloriously fluffy, the biscuits will flop.

Watch the quick video but make a double batch and add extra eggs. I’ve edited the recipe to add one more egg white as I accidentally did this and it improved an already great biscuit!

Since I published this, I decided to make a sheet pan biscuit to save time and it works great.  You can do that by spreading out the biscuit batter in a sheet pan about an inch high, and baking about 15 minutes. Once cooked, cut into cubes.

Once the biscuits are cooled, (you must cook them), cut into big croutons. Gently bake for about 5 minutes or so to get them a little golden brown. Grain free biscuits do not act like gluten flour biscuits, so we do what we can to push them. I have found that keeping the croutons on the large size (larger than croutons you buy in the store) is best. If you happen to have any that turn into bread crumbs, dry and cool them completely and save them for another recipe.

Once you have your toasted croutons, you’re ready to make your stuffing any way you choose, keeping in mind you will NOT need as much broth as regular recipes. Keep the broth to about 1 1/4 cups. One idea is to take a chicken broth and cook it way down to have some concentrated flavor.

The broth you use makes a difference. I choose a good tasting organic broth. I like the Pacific brand and the whole foods 365 brand. Do not buy broth that has a lot of added  unnecessary flavors.

You can make your own with this recipe. Heat the broth first. It pulls the flavors together!

Buy some fresh sage and make a sage brown butter. The flavor is to die for.

Sauté your celery for at least 10 minutes ahead of the onion. Celery never wants to soften the same way onions do. I don’t like crunchy celery in my stuffing, but if you do, then go ahead and put them in pan at the same time.

Add sausage for flavor. If you have sausage drippings add them to the onion/celery combination. We like country sausage in this recipe, but Italian sausage is always welcome as we’re concerned. If you’re daring, use chorizo!

In meantime, watch the video below for how to make the biscuits, but make sure to double the recipe.

I find that with grain free recipes like this, it’s easy to veer off in the wrong direction. The video will help you stay on course.

Don’t just eat this for Thanksgiving. You can stuff chicken breasts, chicken, pork chops, and so on. Another idea is to take left over chicken (or cooked chicken breasts), shred the meat and mix with the stuffing before baking. That’s a one dish meal!

Grain Free Stuffing Makes Great Leftovers

Here is what I did with the leftovers. Stir fry in a pan with butter, add arugula and a side of this sugar free cranberry sauce. 

Recipe here for Hash.

Enjoy your holiday without guilt! Calculating 10 servings, this recipe has 6 net carbs per serving.  

Here are my KETO FRIENDLY Thanksgiving Recipes all in one place.

Low Carb Pumpkin Recipes

Grain Free Sweet Potato Biscuits

Print

Grain Free Stuffing You'll Rush to the Table For

Grain free, keto friendy, Paleo Stuffing made with almond flour, coconut flour and perfect for any recipe where stuffing is in order.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• Grain Free Biscuits make double batch recipe here but see notes
• 4 stalks organic celery diced
• 2 yellow or sweet onions diced
• 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1 pound country sausage
• 3 tablespoons freshly chopped sage or 1 teaspoon dried sage
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 egg
• 1 cup chicken broth
• Sage Browned butter optional
• Sage Browned Butter Ingredients
• 6 sage leaves
• 2 tablespoons butter

Instructions

• Make Biscuits, adding in some freshly chopped sage, black pepper, and poultry seasoning. See notes.
• Cool biscuits.
• Cut into large cubes, larger than cubes you buy in store.
• Bake cubes for 5 to 10 minutes at 375 until golden brown.
• In a frying pan, make country sausage, reserving two tablespoons of fat.
• If not using sausage heat butter in pan.
• Sauté celery and onions until softened. If you like celery soft, saute first for 5 to 10 minutes before adding onion.
• Heat broth in sauce pan.
• Put stuffing into a cast iron pan or shallow baking dish
• Toss with celery/onion, herbs, and egg.
• Slowly add broth. Mix gently.
• Bake at 350 for 15 minutes, covered with foil.
• Add browned butter (see below) This is optional for extra buttery crunch, but you don't have to do this.
• Remove foil and continue to bake another 15 minutes or until top is golden brown.

Make Browned Butter Instructions

• Heat butter in pan and add sage leaves, until they are crisp.

Notes

Follow directions for grain free biscuits, doubling recipe. You can choose to add some freshly chopped sage, black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning. Make ten large biscuits.

A shallow dish works best to get the most crunchy top.

Carbs: Net 7

Nutrition

Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 30g | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 1g