One thing I love about Fall, is comfort food and my roasted squash and beet salad is an all time fav. Even Scott, who doesn’t like goat cheese, gobbled this salad up. We served it with stuffed Portabella Mushrooms (I guess I’ll need to do that recipe next). Other than the time roasting the squash and beets, this salad can be whipped up in a matter of minutes.
Be sure to use Vermont Creamery Clover Blossom Honey goat cheese – it will make a big difference. Scott and I don’t like our goat cheese to be too “goaty” or tangy rather. This cheese is very smooth, a tad sweet and really pairs well with the other salad ingredients.
This salad is full of flavor, slightly nutty and sweet. Compliment it with stuffed portabella mushrooms for a complete meal. Be sure to only use Vermont Creamery Honey goat cheese.
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Cut beets in half. Sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes on a foil lined cookie sheet.
Dice & peel butternut squash into 1" pieces. Sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper and add squash to the cookie sheet with beets. If you substitute butternut for another squash - check the cooking time.
Roast walnuts in a skillet for about 5 minutes until toasted.
Once beets and squash are tender, remove from oven to cool. Slice beets when cool.
Mix greens, onion, squash, beets and goat cheese with dressing. Top with walnuts.
Years ago, I went on a vegetarian diet for health reasons and found one of my favorite chili recipes. I’ve altered it with my own unique flavors and surprisingly, Scott loves it too.
This recipe is super easy to make, especially on a boat – during a wind storm! LOL. Be sure to follow the key points below, so your chili doesn’t get soggy.
There are all kinds of meat substitutes, especially today. I haven’t tried any of the new ones, like “Impossible burger”, but I do plan on it. We’ll let you know what we think. For this recipe, we use our favorite crumbles, which are from Morning Star. Be sure to not over cook the crumbles, or they will get mushy.
Recently, Scott and I made this recipe on the boat during a wind storm. It was perfect for our cozy winter night and we also baked corn bread to accompany it. Enjoy!
This chicken and orzo soup is amazing and perfect for a cold winter night. Now that winter has arrived, Scott and I plan on staying on the boat a few winter nights to see if we like it. There’s something romantic and cozy about bundling up on a cold night and making homemade soup.
Everyone loves homemade chicken soup, but it can also take a few hours to make (if you are making your own broth). The best part about this chicken orzo and kale soup, is that it’s not only tasty, but it takes just a few minutes to make. That makes for the perfect soup recipe on a boat, when you don’t have a lot of time or space.
One great thing about this chicken & orzo kale soup recipe, is that you can alter it however you wish. Don’t like kale? Use spinach. Don’t like orzo? Use cooked wild rice. The most important thing to remember, is to have your favorite blanket and a movie ready for after dinner. Enjoy!
In a Dutch oven or large stock pot heat oil and saute carrots for 2 minutes. Add celery and yellow onions and saute for 3-4 minutes until tender. Add bay leaf, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and cook for 1 minute.
Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add chicken, orzo, crushed red pepper and curly kale. Reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered for about 10 minutes or until orzo is tender. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese and serve with crusty warm bread.
If you love corn and asparagus, you will love this salad! Last weekend, we invited our friend Randy over for dinner on the new boat. He brought his home dry-aged steaks, along with his sous vide cooker and this was a fantastic meal! It would be hard to have this cooker on the boat, as we are limited to space and storage. So it was a treat that he brought his from home.
When I’m cooking on a boat, space is so limited. While our new boat has a much bigger galley, space is still tight. This is why I try to make recipes that are easy to prepare. In addition, it’s usually very warm when we’re boating, so the last thing we want to eat, is something too filling.
This grilled corn and asparagus salad is super easy and it goes with almost any kind of protein. Plus it’s a pretty dish to present at dinner. It’s also not limited to the ingredients listed. You could add zucchini, mozzarella cheese, avocado – you name it. All would be delicious in this recipe!
Toss corn and asparagus in olive oil. Pre-heat grill to high heat. Grill corn on bbq until slightly charred (about 7 minutes). Set aside. Grill asparagus for about 2-3 minutes, until slightly tender and charred (but not overcooked).
Using a large bowl, stand ears of corn vertically in the bowl and slice off corn kernels. Cut asparagus into 1" pieces. Add remaining vegetables, feta and oregano.
In a small bowl, whisk olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Add to the salad and toss ingredients gently. Refrigerate for about 1 hour and serve.
As I mentioned in my last recipe post, Scott and I have been trying to eat less carbs and this creamy cauliflower casserole is now his new favorite side dish! What’s funny about this, is that when Scott and I met seventeen years ago, he hated cauliflower! I remember the South Beach Diet had replaced mashed potatoes with mashed cauliflower and he couldn’t choke it down.
Of course, “everything cauliflower” is now the rage these days, which works for me, because I love it! Next week I’m making a few recipes that use “cauliflower rice” and instead of making it myself, I’m going to buy it pre-made. I will let you know how it works.
We have been trying a few “Keto” recipes that are on Pinterest. Of course, being a cook, I end up changing the recipes to our own tastes. Since it’s been so hot this summer, I have been avoiding cooking anything in the oven. Finally this past week, it cooled off and it was the perfect night to bake a casserole. Everyone loves “twice baked potatoes”, so I decided to try and mimic that with cauliflower.
I also used a secret ingredient to add to the “bacon” flavor I love in twice baked potatoes. It’s a Chardonnay Oak Smoked French Sea Salt that I bought when we were in Gig Harbor from “For the Love of Spice” Store. If you haven’t been there yet – this is another reason to go!
The dish turned out great – BUT it is super rich! I made the mistake of serving it with creamy garlic chicken and it was over the top in comfort food. Actually I think the dish would have been great on its’ own by just adding cooked chicken to it. Since our boat does not have an oven, this dish could also be “baked” on the stove top or in a table top oven like ours. We use our Xpress Redi Set Go Cooker all of the time!
Let us know what your favorite low carb recipes are – we’d love to hear from you. Enjoy and happy cooking! Ally
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the cauliflower into bite size pieces. Place cauliflower in a steamer basket with a cup of water, cover and cook for about 3 minutes when it begins to boil. You don't want to "cook" the cauliflower, you simply want it to begin to sweat and soften slightly. Immediately remove from heat and remove lid to let it cool down.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. Add prociutto, onions, mushrooms, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook until slightly caramelized. Add butter to melt.
In a separate bowl, mix whipping cream, sour cream and shredded cheese. Add mushroom and onion mixture. Gently add cauliflower and mix until blended well. Spray a 9" x 9" baking dish with cooking spray and pour in cauliflower mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes until golden brown. If you like it crispy on top, you can broil it for about 2 minutes - just be sure to watch it closely.
If you love a BLT, then this is your dip! When Scott and I head up to my family’s place at Tyee Beach on Camano Island, I always make some kind of snack that everyone can enjoy during the day. Over the years I’ve made a 7-layer, Greek layer, Loaded Baked Potato and other fun hearty dips.
This summer, I wanted to make something a bit simple, yet filling enough for a crowd. Keep in mind, we don’t eat lunch, so this “snack” is the main meal between breakfast and dinner. That’s when I decided to make a BLT Dip! Who doesn’t love a BLT? Well, except for the fact that the bread rips the roof of your mouth up.
This BLT dip is the perfect solution! I fry my crostini (check out my recipe here). This makes the bread softer than if you just baked it in the oven.
Where did the dip go?
Normally when I make one of my hearty dips, they last for a few hours. This dip was gone in less than an hour! This dip with the crostini tastes exactly like a BLT. We had people from next door coming over to try it. So the next time you are looking for a crowd pleaser, this is a winner! Enjoy!
This dip can be made ahead time, about an hour (remember, it has lettuce and tomatoes and you don't want them to get soggy). I made a huge batch and it was gone in less than a hour - so Enjoy!
Mix the sour cream, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, garlic salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Spread mixture evenly into a 15" x 10.5" Pyrex dish.
Begin layering the dip, starting with chopped lettuce, bacon, tomatoes and shredded cheese.
Serve immediately with crostini. Can be refrigerated for up to one hour.
With warm sunny weather, no one likes to spend time cooking. That’s why I love this easy couscous salad! I make a big batch of it and have it for lunch at work or take it on the boat.
In this recipe, I use a lemon flavored packaged couscous by Casbah, but you can easily make it from scratch too. The one thing I love about this couscous, is you don’t need to add any kind of dressing. The couscous is so flavorful, that it does great on it’s own. This way the veggies don’t get soggy too!
With our busy schedules, this is just easier for us. I also use pre-cooked chicken when I am in a hurry.
This will last about three to four days in the refrigerator. I’m not a big fan of eating cooked chicken after that. You can certainly add or swap out your favorite veggies too. If you have a favorite version, please share with us.
We’re headed down to Kingston on our boat next weekend, so this will be a great salad for entertaining. It packs well and the veggies don’t get soggy. Be sure to use very fresh cucumbers and bell peppers. Be sure to check out the rest of our tasty recipes on our recipe page! Enjoy!
This couscous salad is very fresh and perfect for a hot summer day. You can make a full meal out of it, just add some crunchy bread and your favorite dry rose'. What I really love about this recipe, is you don't need a salad dressing! Enjoy!
Cook couscous according to instructions. Remove from heat and let cool. Be sure to stir occasionally while cooling.
When completely cooled, mix in veggies, chicken and feta cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate for one hour before serving. Store up to 4 days in the fridge.
Skillet Chicken Pasta Primavera with Spring Vegetables
My skillet chicken pasta primavera recipe includes my favorite Spring vegetables and you can swap out or add any of yours. During the warm weather months, I would rather spend my time outdoors than in my kitchen, so I love to whip up quick easy meals.
This pasta dish is hearty and very flavorful. It also makes great leftovers for the lunch the next day. One tip I have for making pasta dishes and adding vegetables, is to add “color”. In this recipe, we have green (asparagus & spinach), yellow (yellow squash & yellow bell pepper), orange (orange bell pepper), purple (red onion), brown (mushrooms) and red (sun dried tomatoes). You can get really creative with your dishes, looking for tasty veggies to add to your meal.
When making this on a boat, you can prep the veggies at home to save time and space. I also pre-cook or buy pre-cooked chicken breasts, to save time.
Let us know what you love to use in your primavera! Enjoy! Ally
Cook pasta according to the instructions - al dente'. Drain, but do not rinse. Reserve a 1/4 cup of pasta water.
In a large skillet, heat olive oil on medium high heat and add aspragus, bell pepper, red onion, mushrooms, garlic and Italian seasoning. Saute' until slightly tender and season with salt and pepper.
Lower heat to medium and add sundried tomatoes, cooked chicken, yellow squash and spinach. Cook for about 1 minute. Add cream and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
To thicken your sauce, you can add 2-3 tablespoons of pasta water and reduce down. At our house, my husband likes his sauce really thickened and so I use corn starch. I simply mix 1 tbsp of corn starch with 3 tbsp of water and stir in. Once you have reached the consistency you prefer, add the pasta and season again with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with freshly grated parmesan and crusty bread.
Now that the weather has warmed up, I love to make a quinoa salad as both our side dish & veggie. When we’re cooking on the boat, we try to grill our protein and have our side dish all prepared for ease of prep & cleanup. Quinoa is very versatile and you can add any ingredients you like. Add a protein for a full meal.
If you haven’t cooked quinoa much, you want to make sure you rinse it first, otherwise it can taste bitter. Quinoa comes from the Andes and surprisingly it is not a grain. What we are actually eating is the seed of the plant. It is in the goosefoot family, which also produces edibles such as chard and spinach. Although we treat it like a grain, it is actually not at all.
These salads are so tasty, because the quinoa absorbs the dressing so well. The key to maximizing the flavor is to let the quinoa cool slightly and then add the dressing. Then mix in your veggies. You want to make sure that the quinoa is cooled off enough, that it doesn’t make the veggies soggy.
This past week, we had a friend over to our new apartment for dinner. She is on the FODMAP diet and this salad was perfect for her. As a result, she can’t eat any garlic, onions or cheese. It was delicious, but if aren’t limited to ingredients, it’s best with minced garlic in the dressing, chopped red onion and crumbled feta cheese mixed in.
Quinoa Salad with Spinach, Cucumbers & Bell PeppersYum
This a delicious recipe for summer time that pairs great with most proteins. Be sure to make it at least one hour before serving so it marinates in the dressing.
Rinse the quinoa. Bring quinoa and 2 cups of water to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a very low simmer and cover. Cook for about 13 minutes, or until the water is absorbed. Remove lid and remove from heat. Let cool for about 10-15 minutes. Add lemon vinaigrette dressing (see recipe below), tossing gently. Add remaining vegetables.
Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing
Whisk all the ingredients until blended well. Taste and adjust salt / pepper if needed. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.
Red potatoes with spinach is the perfect side dish. When prepping dinner in a small galley, it’s difficult to make two sides with your protein. I love to combine a starch with a veggie to make just one side dish.
My favorite combo is red potatoes with onions, mushrooms and spinach. You can also use baby kale. Since the spinach or kale just need to be wilted slightly, I add this to the dish at the very end.
If you don’t have an oven on your boat, you can easily make this in a skillet or in a foil packet on your grill. Scott and I grill a lot on our boat during the summer, which helps keep the cleanup in the galley to a minimum.
This side dish is so easy and you can use the leftovers with eggs the next morning. It's a fan favorite and a great way to combine your veggies and starch!
Pre-heat the oven at 375 degrees. Line a baking dish with non-stick foil. In a large bowl, toss the potatoes and mushrooms with olive oil and spices. Bake on the middle rack and stir the ingredients after 20 minutes. Bake for another 15 minutes (or until the potatoes are tender). Add the spinach and mix well. Bake for another 5 minutes. Serve immediately.
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