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Lemon Avocado Linguine

Most days I crave pasta, but sometimes I want it to be done and in my mouth within minutes. That’s where this pasta comes in. Yes, I made this dish up, but I’m sure there are similar recipes out there. For me, any kind of lemon pasta wins. It’s fresh, so easy and most of the time you ALWAYS have lemons.

Whip this up and you’ll be surprised at how easy it is and never again can you say you “don’t know how to cook!” Some cooking is hard, I get it, but something like this is fool-proof and it pays off!

* Note, you can use ANY kind of pasta you prefer! The type of pasta doesn’t change anything, unless of course it’s an alternative pasta, then textures will be different.

E N J O Y!

 

RECIPE – – – (for 1 lb of pasta)

• 2 whole ripe avocados
• 2 lemons, juiced
• 2 TBLS of cream cheese, greek yogurt, sour cream or creme fraiche (something a little creamy) – dairy free if you need it to be!
• drizzle of olive oil
• garlic salt + lemon pepper or salt + pepper (to taste)
• 1/2 TSP onion powder
• 1 TBLS minced garlic
• pinch of red chili flakes
• 1/4 cup reserved pasta water

 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cook pasta according to directions, make sure to save 1/4 cup of pasta water before draining the pasta!
2.  While pasta is cooking, put all the ingredients into a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth, if you’re having trouble blending because of thickness, add in a little more olive oil or a splash of water. But! you can also wait for the pasta water because it’s more flavorful and adds the perfect touch to a pasta sauce.
3.  Once pasta is done cooking, return to the pot, add the sauce on top and mix it altogether!
4.  Top pasta with a variety of things! Goat cheese, Parmesan, Burrata, Mozzerella, lemon zest, fresh basil, little tomatoes, more chili flakes or even more lemon! The list is endless.

 

I promise you won’t be disappointed in this pasta! It’s so fresh and SO delicious! I hope you make it and  L O V E  it!!

 

xx, Coco

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Italian Breaded Chicken + Lemon Arugula Salad

This is one of those meals that may look like it takes some time, but it’s super quick and super delicious! It’s hands down, one of my favorite meals, ever. The chicken is something my mom has always made since we were little, but I tweaked it a tad! It’s easy to whip up on a week day and it’s something everyone will like! This is a recipe I’m making up as I type so it’s not perfect, but it’s how I make it and it’s delish!

 

– R E C I  P E   B E L O W –

ingredients

1 lb of chicken breast tenders (can double recipe for more chicken)

1 1/2-2 cups of italian breadcrumbs

2 eggs, beaten

2 lemons

shaved or grated fresh parmesan cheese

s+p

arugula

olive oil

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instructions 

1. clean + pat dry the chicken, season with salt and pepper.
2. put 2 eggs beaten into a shallow bowl and the breadcrumbs into a separate shallow bowl. add about 2 tablespoons of the fresh parmesan cheese into the breadcrumbs mixture (doesn’t have to be perfect, the more the merrier.) if it’s shredded already, that works, if it’s shaved, chop it up into smaller pieces.
3. dip chicken into eggs, let excess drip off, then dip into breadcrumb mixture. make sure the chicken is well coated! repeat with all the chicken.
4. heat a tablespoon of olive oil or vegetable oil over medium heat until hot, then add the chicken, 3-4 at a time to not overcrowd. cook for 4-6 min on each side, depending on how big or thick your chicken tenders are, you want a nice golden brown crust on the outside!
5. while chicken is cooking, you can assemble the salad. place the arugula in a large bowl and depending on how much lettuce you have, the dressing is equal parts lemon juice and olive oil. this depends on your taste too. I like a lot of lemon + I  just throw it all in the same bowl! but, if you’re worried, you can make the dressing in a small bowl first. place equal parts lemon juice + olive oil as well as salt + pepper, to taste, in the bowl, mix up and pour onto arugula! mix up, then top with handfuls of parmesan cheese! I like a lot of this too…
6. once the chicken is cooked, place it all onto a plate lined with paper towels and squeeze half a lemon- a full lemon all over the chicken. (again, depends on how much lemon you want, but the chicken does absorb a lot of it)
7. place the chicken on a plate with the arugula salad and viola! Enjoy!

 

I  hope you love this recipe as much as I do! It’s seriously something I could eat daily and the chicken is SO good the next day too! Go make it and tell me how it goes!

 

xx, Coco

 

 

 

AVOCADO  C R E M A  ENCHILADAS

These are hands down, the yummiest enchiladas you’ll ever make. They are also, the EASIEST! They have such a unique flavor that make them seem like you spent forever in the kitchen but you can bust these out in 20 mins or less! My favorite part is the avocado crema. It’s so fresh and flavorful. Any enchiladas are delicious, but I promise you these will knock your socks off! Make them for a dinner date or for your family and you’ll see! They are also good the next day too! E N J O Y!

– R E C I P E –

for the avocado crema

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup salsa verde

1/2 cup sour cream or greek yogurt (have used both and both are great! yogurt makes it healthier!)

2 (soft) avocados

1-2 jalapenos (I  keep the seeds for one of them and discard the other seeds, for some spice! if you don’t like spicy, get rid of all seeds)

1 clove garlic

1 tsp ground cumin

salt + pepper to taste

a handful + some of cilantro (I always add extra!)

juice of 1 lime (extra lime flavor adds such a brightness to the sauce!)

 

for the enchilada filling

6 cups cooked chicken (shredded) – do yourself a favor and buy a rotisserie chicken and shred it apart! saves so much time + adds flavor!

2 avocados, diced (I didn’t include diced avocados into the enchiladas since it’s already an avocado sauce, but you do you!)

2 green onions, sliced

2 cups cheddar cheese

2 cups Monterey Jack

8 (7 inch) tortillas

 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Puree the chicken broth, salsa verde, sour cream, 2 avocados, jalapenos, garlic, cumin, s + p, cilantro and lime in a food processor or blender
2. Mix half of that avocado crema with the chicken, green onions, extra diced avocado and 1 cup each of both cheeses
3. Coat the bottom of a baking dish with some of the avocado crema
4. Wrap the chicken and avocado mixture in each tortilla, roll up and place in baking dish. When finished, top with remaining sauce and the rest of the cheese! Add green onions + cilantro as a garnish on top as well!
5. Bake at 350 degrees until enchiladas are heated through and cheese is bubbling, about 15-20 minutes.

 

 

-I hope you enjoy these as much as I do! –

– It’s hard to go back to plain old enchiladas after these! –

[[Recipe adapted from Chicken and Avocado Enchiladas]]

xx, Coco

 

 

GARLIC BUTTER STEAK + POTATOES

This is one of those recipes you see floating around Pinterest, constantly, that you always want to try but you never do. Well, I finally tried it because it was time and WOW, it was delicious. I’m going to be honest, at first I was nervous I wouldn’t like the steak because I like my steak tender and perfectly medium rare, but it actually comes out in just the right way for this dish. You can also use different cuts of beef for tenderness and I’m excited to try out other ones next. The flavors in this dish are KILLER. Sooo flavorful and even better the next day! This isn’t my recipe, but there are some little tweaks I made that I will share with you! Enjoy!

 

R E C I P E

for the marinade

1/3 cup soy sauce (or coconut aminos)

1 tbsp good olive oil

I tbsp hot sauce *I used sriracha

fresh ground pepper

 

for the steak + potatoes

1 1/2 lbs flank steak, sliced against the grain. (Or rib eye, tenderloin, strip steak, whichever you prefer) * I used flank and it was delicious!

1 1/2 lbs baby yellow potatoes, quartered

1 tbsp olive oil

3 tbsp butter, divided up

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon FRESH thyme, chopped

1 teaspoon FRESH rosemary, chopped

1 teaspoon FRESH oregano, chopped *I couldn’t find oregano this time so I just used dry and it was fine!

Salt + freshground pepper

Red chili flakes, optional

 

I N S T R U C T I O N S

1. In a large bowl, combine the steak strips, soy sauce, olive oil, hotsauceandpepper.Setasidewhile you prepare + cook the potatoes.

2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter. Once heated, add the potatoes and cook for about 4 min, stir and cook for another 5-6 minutes until golden brown and tender. Transfer to another plate while steak cooks

3. Keep same skillet and add 2 tbsp of butter, garlic, fresh herbs andredchili flakes.Lay the steak strips in an even layer (saving the marinade forlater) and cook forabout 1 min perside, depending on how you like it. * I followed this becauseI like my meat pink, but it does cook alittle more too just naturallyonceyou add the potatoes back in.

4. Right before the steak is done cooking, add in the leftover marinade from the steak to finish cooking. Add the potatoes back into the skillet to heat through. Add salt + pepper if needed

5. Remove from heat and serve right away. Top with more fresh herbs + even some Parmesan, if you’d like! And ENJOY!

 

 

– let me know if you make this recipe! It was so good and I can’t wait to make it again! –

[ recipe from Eat Well 101 ]

xx, Coco

Kale Salad with Fried Artichokes, Pickled Celery & Roasted Asparagus

 

Here’s another one of those recipes I came across that I somehow just  N E E D E D to try. Then, I read the ingredients and I was surprised at the combination, but it still sounded super good and I was into it. So, I thought the perfect time to make it would be for Easter Sunday since I needed to contribute to the meal! Everyone really enjoyed it and it’ll definitely be happening again!

R  E  C  I  P  E

For the Pickled Celery:

• 1 cup white distilled vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 4 stalks celery, chopped or sliced

For the Asparagus:

• 1/2 bunch asparagus, tough ends removed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper

For the Dressing:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 1 large clove garlic, finely minced
• 1 small bunch chives, minced, (about 1 big tablespoon)
• 1/2 cup grated good quality parmesan cheese, such as Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano
• salt and pepper to taste

For the Artichokes:

• 1 12 ounce bag frozen artichoke hearts, defrosted (I used jarred artichokes in water, worked the same and didn’t need to defrost)
• olive oil, for frying
• salt

For the Salad:

. I  N  S  T  R  U  C  T  I  O  N  S.

 

PICKLE THE CELERY

• Combine the vinegar, salt and sugar in a small saucepan and bring up to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir until the salt and sugar have dissolved. Add the celery to a bowl and pour the liquid over top. Let sit in the refrigerator while you prepare the other ingredients.

MAKE THE ASPARAGUS

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Toss the asparagus with olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread out on a parchment lined baking sheet and roast for about 15 minutes, or until browned and tender, but still al dente. Alternatively, you can grill the asparagus instead. Allow to cool to room temperature, then chop into 1 inch pieces and set aside.

FRY THE ARTICHOKES

• Drain the artichokes in a colander, then spread out on towels and pat very dry. You may need to squeeze them and press down to remove as much liquid as possible. ((This is an important step, as any excess liquid going into the hot oil will cause dangerous splatters.)) Heat about 1 inch of olive oil in a heavy bottomed skillet or saucepan with big sides until very hot (about 375 degrees). Add the artichokes in batches and fry until golden brown on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain, and season with salt while they’re still piping hot.

ASSEMBLE THE SALAD

• Place the kale in large salad bowl, drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Use your hands to aggressively massage the kale to break it down into softer pieces, about 2 minutes. Drain the celery well and use some paper towels to pat off any excess pickling liquid – too much will make the salad too tangy. Add the celery to the kale along with the asparagus and half of the artichoke hearts. Toss the salad with enough dressing to coat. Arrange on a platter or individual plates and top with the remaining artichokes. Serve immediately.

N O T E S

• *You can substitute a container of baby kale, but skip the step of drizzling with olive oil and massaging.
• **For a VEGAN variation of this salad, simply omit the parmesan and use vegan mayonnaise.

Go ahead and give this recipe a try for your next meal, party or get-together! It’s DELISH!

[Recipe from Coley Cooks]

xx, Coco

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Simple and Fresh Tomato Sauce with Burrata

 

 

For the Pasta:

1 package of any kind of pasta you prefer (I used the Gluten Free Egg Fettuccine noodles from Trader Joe’s and they were UNREAL!)

For the Sauce:

2 packages of baby tomatoes, any kind you like

About a tablespoon of fresh chopped basil or a teaspoon of dried basil

Olive Oil

½ -1 teaspoon salt

½-1 teaspoon pepper (or lemon pepper)

1 tablespoon or 2 cloves of fresh garlic

A dash or more (to taste) red chili flakes

A dash of dried Oregano

For the topping: (up to you!)

Fresh Burrata cheese

Fresh basil

Red chili flakes

Start with a tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan, add garlic and cook for about 1-2 minutes until fragrant.

Add tomatoes (do not slice or cut in half before, KEEP WHOLE)

Cook for about 10 minutes on medium- low heat until they start to soften, during that time add salt and pepper, basil, oregano, and red chili flakes

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil for pasta, cook pasta and save about ¼ cup of pasta water for tomato sauce

After about 10 minutes when the tomatoes have softened, start to gently smash each tomato. This creates more of a sauce but still chunky and fresh.

Keep cooking on low until pasta is cooked and ready.

Add ¼ cup pasta water to tomatoes

Drain pasta and add to tomato sauce.

Top with any of the toppings you prefer, the Burrata was a game changer, and ENJOY!

 

This recipe is SUPER easy, like it says in the name! It’s obviously not something I created because it’s just a tomato sauce, however, this recipe is mine. I usually just throw all this stuff together when I’m craving pasta so I decided to officially type it up for you guys! Pairing this sauce with the fresh egg fettuccine was everything and more.. AND they were gluten free! Didn’t even taste like it. I highly recommend!

Make this for your family, date night, a quick weeknight meal or whenever you’re craving a delicious pasta dish!

xx, Coco

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EGGPLANT SALAD

This is another one of those recipes I saw, tried and  L O V E D. It’s by far a new staple and it’s SO easy. It’s warm eggplant mixed with fresh herbs, a tangy but subtly sweet vinegar sauce and crunchy almonds. It’s a perfect side dish or you could even add some protein to it and make a meal out of it! – Also can be served warm or cold! –

R E C I P E:

• 4 cups cubed eggplant
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic crushed
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup toasted almonds halved
• 1/2 red onion finely sliced
• 2/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2/3 cup chopped fresh mint
• salt and pepper

1. Heat the 2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet, sprinkle the cubed eggplant with salt and cook over medium heat for approximately 8 minutes
2. While the eggplant is cooking, in a bowl whisk together the cumin, sweetener, vinegar, lemon juice, crushed garlic and olive oil.
3. Once the eggplant has begun to soften, pour the liquid overtop and cook for another minute before removing from the heat. Make sure that you do not overcook the eggplant, it should be tender but not mushy and still hold its shape.
4. Transfer the eggplant along with all of the remaining liquid in the pan to a serving bowl or platter. Add in the almonds, red onion, parsley and mint and stir until well mixed, season with salt and pepper before serving.

Recipe from Every Last Bite

xx, Coco

 

CILANTRO PESTO

This is my personal recipe that I’ve made up over the years after having cilantro pesto at a restaurant years ago! So it’s essentially the same as basil pesto, but instead of basil, you use cilantro. 

The cool thing about pesto is that it can be made with just about anything! As long as you have a base of olive oil, parmesan, and garlic.. you’re set! 

 

R E C I P E:

• a bunch of Cilantro (like a handful or more) – about 5 cups
• 1-2 cloves of garlic or about 2-3 TBSP of minced garlic (depends on your taste)
• s + p (to taste)
• about a cup of grated parmesan cheese
• dash of red chili flakes 
• about 1/4 of a cup of toasted almonds (or any nut of your choice)
• 1 1/2 cups of good olive oil
• couple squeezes of lemon juice

First you want to toast the nuts in a pan for a few min. This brings out the flavor and gives the pesto a nice touch. Next, add the cilantro, garlic, s+p, cheese, chili flakes, lemon, and nuts to your food processor. Pulse a couple times and then slowly add the olive oil in to the mixture until you have your desired consistency. Some people enjoy a smooth texture, while others like it a little chunkier. Don’t over pulse on the food processor because you can’t undo it. Just take it slow! I usually always ball park my recipes, so I use taste as a way to tell if I need more of anything. Taste your pesto when it’s done and decide if you need to add more s+p or garlic or whatever!

Use the pesto on pasta, chicken, sandwiches, spaghetti squash and more!

Here are some other fun and unique pesto combinations to try:

• Basil – Walnut
• Cilantro – Pepita
• Carrot Tops – Pine Nuts
• Cilantro or Basil – Pistachio 

Try mine or any of them out and let me know!

xx, Coco

 

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CRANBERRY SALSA DIP

BY FAR my most asked about recipe! Unfortunately I can’t claim this recipe as my own, however, I did discover it and bring it into my little world of people and IT WAS A GAME CHANGER! It’s from Pinterest, but it’s hands down, the best dip.. especially around Christmas time because of the festive colors! 

R E C I P E   B E L O W: (with my personal modifications)

• 12 oz (1 bag) of fresh cranberries
• 1/4 cup green onion
• 1-2 jalapeños (I keep the seeds from one of them to use in dip)
• 2 TBSP cilantro (can never have enough in my book!)
• 3/4 cup of sugar
• 1 TBSP lemon juice
• 1/8 TSP salt
• 16 oz cream cheese (whipped)

Recipe from Sparrows and Lily

Chop up cranberries, green onions, jalapeños and cilantro. At first I used to hand chop it all, but to save time I use a food processor and it’s the same, but easier! Next, add the sugar, lemon juice and salt. MIX altogether and put in fridge overnight or for at least 5-6 hours. Once ready to use, drain excess juice (my personal tip) and add on top of the spread out cream cheese. I tend to serve this dip in a pie plate. I like the way it looks and it’s easier to scoop up!

Serve with any crackers you prefer.. Ritz Crackers have been our favorite choice!

 

E N J O Y!

xx, Coco