Asian Pork Dumplings

So I usually just cook poultry meals when it comes to meat. I do not eat red meat and I'm VERY picky about the pork I eat (I only eat it on rare occasions). I get yelled at all the time because I think bacon and pork roll are gross! However, I do enjoy steamed pork dumplings from Chinese restaurants. Therefore, I decided to make them myself, but just the filling. This is a paleo recipe. If you want to make it a non-paleo recipe, use the meat as the filling for traditional dumplings. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 pound ground pork

green onions

minced garlic

grated ginger

cup of thinly chopped Napa cabbage

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

2 tablespoons soy sauce 

½ tablespoon sesame oil

Directions

1. Mix the pork, green onions, garlic, ginger, and cabbage.

2. Add the soy sauce, rice vinegar and sesame oil.  Mix well.

3. Form oval balls with the meat mixture and set aside.

4. Heat up s olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.

5. When hot, cook the dumplings in batches, shaking the pan as they cook to get even cooking. (You do not want to dry out the pork. So try frying them on each side for 5 minutes each. Pork can be a little pink inside--no worries.)

6. While the dumplings are cooking, in another bowl mix 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 ½ tablespoon lemon or lime juice,  and 1 teaspoon sesame oil to create a sauce.

7. When the dumplings are done, place them in a large bowl or platter and pour the sauce over the them.

An easy dish to bring to a party!

So ever since I was little, my mom would make this simple Mexican dip whenever she was entertaining or needed something to make quickly to bring to a party or get-together. It is only 3 ingredients and delicious. I only eat this every so often (darn you lactose intolerance) but when I do, it is worth it!

Ingredients

1 bar of cream cheese
1 can of chili (I always use Hormel's turkey/no beans chili)
shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Soften the cream cheese, then spread it evenly across the bottom of a casserole dish
2. Pour the chili over the cream cheese and spread evenly
3. Sprinkle cheddar cheese over the chili

Chicken Stuffed with Pepper Jack Cheese & Spinach

I found this recipe on Pinterest. It is simple to make, just make sure you don't pock yourself with a toothpick. 

Ingredients

skinless chicken breasts

pepper jack cheese (I bought a block of it and shredded it myself)

frozen spinach, thawed and drained 

olive oil

breadcrumbs (I used whole wheat)

salt & pepper

toothpicks 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Flatten the chicken and season with salt and pepper
3. Shred the pepper jack cheese into a bowl

4. Please the spinach in another bowl
5. Put the breadcrumbs in another bowl
6. Spoon the spinach onto each chicken breast, then the cheese on top of that (I eye balled everything)

7. Roll each chicken breast tightly and fasten the seams with several toothpicks (I used quite a lot of toothpicks so that the filling wouldn't seep out) 

8. Brush each chicken breast with the olive oil.  

9. Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the chicken and underneath as well.  
10. Place the chicken seam-side up onto a tin foil-lined baking sheet

11. Bake for about 40 minutes

Remove the toothpicks before serving.  

Asian Turkey Meatballs

I really enjoyed this! Once again I opted to make something with an Asian flare. They turned out well! My mom found a rice noodle pack that came with a simple seasoning sauce. I added the scrambled egg to the noodles.

                                             

Asian Turkey Meatballs

Rice noodles with scrambled egg

Ingredients

1 lb. white ground turkey
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 Tablespoon fresh minced ginger
2 cloves of minced garlic
1 egg
1/4 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
2 scallions, chopped
1 Tablespoon low sodium soy sauce2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Directions

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
2. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl until well combined. (use your hands to mix)

3. Form the meatballs into small balls and place on the baking sheet. (again use your hands)

4. Bake for 14-15 minutes 

Serve hot with the dipping sauce 

Sesame-Soy Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

4 Tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh scallion
1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds 

Directions

In a small bowl whisk together all the ingredients.

Healthy Recipe Substitutions

Did you know that there are many ways to use healthy substitutes in certain recipes?

Here are a few for baking!

1. Black beans for flour
Swapping out flour for a can of back beans (drained and rinsed, of course) in brownies is a great way to cut out the gluten and fit in an extra dose of protein. When baking, swap out 1 cup flour for 1 cup black bean puree.
2. Whole wheat flour for white flour
In  any baked good, replace white flour with whole wheat flour. This provides more fiber. 
3. Unsweetened applesauce for sugar
Using applesauce in place of sugar can give the necessary sweetness without the extra calories. This swap is  great for cookies.
4. Unsweetened applesauce for oil or butter
The applesauce gives the right consistency and a hint of sweetness without all the fat of oil or butter. This works well in any sweet bread or in muffins.