Ingredients:

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
• 3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

• Combine the basil in with the pine nuts, pulse a few times in a food processor. (If you are using walnuts instead of pine nuts and they are not already chopped, pulse them a few times first, before adding the basil.) Add the garlic, pulse a few times more.

• Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Makes 1 cup

Ingredients:

• 1lb. wild caught shrimp (small ones)
• 3/4 can of Arroy-D Coconut Milk
• 1 can no salt added sweet peas (or any other veggie that you like)
• 1/2 cup pesto http://perceptionfitness.com/archives/714
• a sprinkle of Tony Chachere’s cajun seasoning
• ground black pepper
• a sprinkle of both cayenne pepper  and red pepper flakes
• tablespoon Coconut Oil

Directions:

• sprinkle shrimp with Tony Chachere’s and saute shrimp on medium heat in EVOO for about 1 minute
• add all other ingredients and cook ’til shrimp are pink

That’s it! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into chunks
• 3 tablespoons sesame seed oil
• half of a head of cabbage, chopped
• 5 sticks of celery, chopped
• 1 cup of broccoli florets
• 1 cup of sugar snap peas

Seasonings:

• garlic and onion powder
• sea salt and black pepper
• red pepper flakes
• cayenne pepper

Sauce ingredients:

• 6 tablespoons Hoison Sauce ( I like Koon Chun brand)
• 4 tablespoons rice vinegar ( I like the sodium and sugar free version, Marukan brand)
• 2 tablespoons Siracha Sauce (spicy, so cut back or out all together if you don’t like it hot)

Directions for sauce:

• Mix all ingredients together. That’s it 🙂

Cooking directions:

• Heat wok or large stir fry pan  over med. heat for about 2 minutes
• coat chicken in oil and throw in wok, cover in a little more than half the sauce
• cook chicken til it’s brown
• add all veggies and rest of sauce
• sprinkle to taste  with seasonings( it doesn’t take much this is already a very flavorful dish)
• stir fry ’til chicken is fully cooked and veggies are tender

Ingredients

• 1 can of HEB Wild Caught  Claw Crab Meat
• 2 stalks celery, peeled, and  diced
• 4 teaspoons finely sliced fresh chives
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon leaves
• 1/3 cup prepared mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon Rice Vinegar
• 4 tablespoons Pellergini Lemon and Artichoke Dip
  
• 1  freshly squeezed lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

In a medium bowl, lightly toss the crabmeat, celery, chives, and tarragon together.

In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, artichoke dip, lemon juice,rice vinegar, cayenne, and mustard. Add the dressing to the crabmeat mixture and stir until just coated. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If not using right away refrigerate until ready to serve. It’s actually better the next day!

Ingredients:

One pound of your favorite ground meat, I like to use ground Longhorn.  It’s low in fat and taste just like beef!

4 green bell peppers

can of low sodium tomato sauce

one can of low sodium diced tomatoes

one small can each: diced green chiles and jalapenos

half of one onion, chopped

fresh garlic to taste

Season to taste with:

Italian seasonings

sea salt

onion/garlic powder

red pepper flakes

cayenne pepper

black/white pepper

Directions:

blanch peppers

preheat oven to 400

saute onion and garlic in olive oil or broth

add meat and all other ingredients and cook thoroughly

after blanched, cut tops off of bell peppers

stuff peppers with cooked meat mixture, replace tops

place in oven and cook for about 20 minutes

Ingredients:

12 oz. Organic full fat sour cream

one small can of green chiles

juice of one lemon

two tomatillo’s

one poblano

two jalapeno’s

3 serrano’s

one habanero

garlic/onion powder

sea salt

black pepper

cayenne pepper powder

red pepper flakes

Directions:

blend all ingredients until smooth

This sauce is best after it has been refrigerated for a few hours

Ingredients:

8oz unsweetened almond milk

ice

tablespoon of vanilla extract

8-10 drops of Vanilla Creme Liquid Stevia

2 tablespoons of raw almond butter

optional:

Cacao Powder

protein powder

a handful of dark berries

Directions:

blend until smooth!

Ingredients:

3.5lbs. organic boneless skinless chicken thighs

One can no salt added diced tomates

One small can diced green chiles

Freshly grated organic Parmesan cheese

low sodium chicken broth (enough to cover the chicken once you place it in dish)

Pellegrini’s Lemon Cilantro Pesto Artichoke Dip (if yo uare not lucky enough to live in TX where this bomb stuff is made, I’m sure you can find something like it at your local “good food” grocer.

Season to taste with:

Dried rosemary,thyme, basil, garlic and onion powder, sea salt and course black pepper, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425

Place chicken in an oven safe  7 1/2 X 9 inch glass  pan

season to taste

add green chiles and tomatoes, then finish off with low sodium chicken broth and mix all around

cover with foil and place in oven for about 20min.then turn temperature down to 325 for about 25 more minutes

uncover and cook another 20 minutes or so, until chicken is browned on top

Serve over roasted asparagus and green beans   http://perceptionfitness.com/archives/563 topped with a tablespoon of organic shredded Parmesan cheese and a teaspoon of the Pellegrini’s and enjoy!

You can also prepare this dish  in a crock pot.

Matt’s El Rancho, so far, is my favorite place to eat clean.  Sounds funny, I know, it’s Tex Mex! I order the Ultra Light Fajita’s mixed beef and chicken double grilled veggies minus the rice add guacamole salad topped with table salsa.  This is a very generous serving and the seasoning is just perfect.  I was completely satisfied and had no urge to eat the chips and salsa! The key is to ask for your guacamole salad to come out first 🙂

Ingredients:

8oz unsweetened almond or coconut milk

8-10 drops of Vanilla Creme Liquid Stevia

Handful of blueberries

two tablespoons of organic cottage cheese

Ice (more ice for a thicker smoothie, less for a thinner smoothie)

Directions:

Blend everything together until smooth.