Light Italian Minestrone Soup

Let’s be real for a sec: soups are not exactly “dude food”.
Picture this: Guys get together for Football Night, Poker Night, Dude Night, whatever testosterone-filled event; maybe they went hiking/fishing/hunting and are coming back home sweaty, tired, and starving. Maybe they went to the homecoming game and are ravenous.
Whatever it was, imagine one of the dudes saying “All right boys, who wants a bowl of Light Italian Minestrone Soup?”
It doesn't sound right...
By doing so, he would set himself for ridicule, disrespect, and contempt (and I’m being gentle here!)
Dude food is fall-off-the-bones tender pork ribs slathered in a barbecue sauce, meatballs, chili cheese fries, and cans of beer we can readily shotgun, then smash on our foreheads.
Soup? Doesn’t quite fit right?

Spicy Maple-Glazed Butternut Squash

I love fall. I mean, I know how unoriginal that is to say, but I can’t help it.
I just love it: leaves, hot booze, sweaters, and snuggling. Fall is definitely the Goldilocks of seasons.
The only problem is figuring out how to make fall longer than it is.
Meteorologically winter includes the months of December, January, and February so I’m not fooling myself, I’m aware that we are already in winter.
But can we pretend it’s still fall? Just for a sec...please...
And what better way to do it than roasting butternut squash - one of my favorite fall treats.

Chewy Gingerbread Cookies (Paleo and Vegan)

For many in America Christmas season begins as soon as the turkey, green bean casserole, and pumpkin pie have digested.
Often, the very moment our self-induced food comas begin to subside, we grab our coats to make our way to a few big box stores or to haul the big boxes of Christmas decorations in from the garage.

Creamy Broccoli and Mushroom Casserole

So I’ve been recently asked by a reader the following question “Could you describe how a casserole would taste like to someone who has never lived in America? I would certainly love to know how it actually tastes like.”
According to the Larousse Gastronomique "a casserole is a dish with two or more elements, the basis of which can be rice in combination with meat or fish, plus a sauce or gravy, and often a variety of vegetables. This one-dish-meal can be prepared in advance and cooked in a decorative casserole. (Here comes my favorite part) - Such a dish is very popular in homes where there are no servants to help prepare or serve meals."
Which explains why I make so many casseroles it’s not even funny, I have no servants.
Ha!

Greek-Style Turkey Burgers with Yogurt Sauce

Society these days puts so much emphasis on “doing” that when I’m asked what I do with my free time, I feel pressured to say something socially acceptable like saving mankind, a new job, climb Mt. Everest, charity, school, etc — when I really want to say “Dude, I like to chill and do absolutely nothing!”
But I never do.

15 Recipes To Detox Your Body

Because I know I can’t compete with your grandma’s green bean casserole, Aunt Mary’s velvety mashed potatoes, or cousin Jean’s super-rich stuffing.
And because I’m savvy enough to realize that you don’t need me to tell you how to choose, cook or cut a turkey — for that and a for any other Thanksgiving situation Martha is there for you.
This year I decided to skip Thanksgiving altogether and move directly to Black Friday.
You know, the busiest shopping day of the year — where we trample people for things we don’t actually need, the day after being thankful for what we have.
Also known as the day you wake up feeling like a bloated, elastic-waistband-wearing version of yourself.

But instead of throwing yourself a pity party with leftover stuffing before you hit the stores: why not start fresh with something healthy?
I went in and selected 15 recipes from The Iron You that will help you detox after turkey-day. Most are smoothies/juices, some are salads/soups but there’s also a dessert that I snuck in too, if you want something sweet.

In the meantime I wish you guys a happy Thanksgiving. And remember, Thanksgiving is not a day to diet — for once, you get to gather ’round the table with family and friends, and eat delicious holiday dishes to your heart’s content.
Because no one wants green juice at their Thanksgiving table. No one.

Easy Sweet and Sour Pork Chops

This recipe is the shining example of what a few well-placed ingredients and good cooking technique can do to a plain piece of meat.
Thick and succulent pork chops are seared, baked, then slathered with sweet glaze, and roasted until perfectly caramelized.

Cauliflower Tortillas

Let’s get this out of the way up front: This recipe is for me. Not for you, for me.
The reason I’m sharing it with you today on my blog is that every time I need to make cauliflower tortillas I have to find this enchilada recipe, scroll all the way down past all the nonsense and pictures my posts are filled with, and finally find cauliflower tortillas.
And that’s just not, you know, very handy.
That’s why I wanted to post just the recipe for cauliflower tortillas.
And I did, right here. All right?

Sun-Dried Tomato and Roasted Almond Pesto

Just like any other 30-something I love going out on Friday nights.
I love being with my friends and have dinner together. Eat delicious food, chat, and laugh.
I love going out for drinks, meet new and interesting people from all walks of life.
I love going to gigs, meet other folks with a similar interest in music as me, listen to good music, dance, and have just a blast.
For me, and for many others, that’s what Friday nights are for.

Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna with Cauliflower Noodles

Let me give you the short story of this recipe.
Butternut squash, spinach, ricotta, and mozzarella. Noodles, more mozzarella, Parmesan!
Now the long story.
Gluten-free+grain-free cauliflower noodles layered with a creamy butternut squash-ricotta filling and an extra-rich spinach-mozzarella filling, topped with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, sprinkled with a bit of Italian seasoning, baked until piping hot and just starting to brown.