Category: Summer Recipes

Mediterranean Spiced Shrimp Bowls

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Hey there! I took a bit of a break from posting for a while but I am coming back STRONG with these delicious Mediterranean Spiced Shrimp Bowls.

I love shrimp so much- all seafood is so delicious! I was looking in the freezer the other day for an easy protein I could whip up for lunch and I locked in on the bag of frozen shrimp. I’ve never done much cooking of meat/fish/crustaceans, but I decided to give it a try! And you know what? Shrimp is probably one of the easiest proteins you can make. They’re super fast to cook and it’s not hard at all to tell when they’re done. They’re also full of protein with roughly 25 grams per 16 shrimp.

I used some frozen shrimp and defrosted them by running them under cold water, although it said not to do that on the bag. I would like to know what the problem with that is. (insert laughing face emoji here). If you know you’re going to be making these ahead of time though, you can always throw your shrimp in the fridge to defrost over night, or even use fresh shrimp.

To make these delicious bowls, I started by tossing the shrimp with a bunch of delicious spices, and then sauteeing them in some olive oil. They only need about two minutes per side, and are finished when they’re opaque and slightly pink. So easy! Next we have a bunch of veggies- we’re talking peppers, onions, olives and some carrot ribbons- that get cooked up with lemon juice, garlic powder, and some tahini for some extra flavour. Finally, for some green-ness there’s a tasty cucumber and avocado salad. Serve everything over quinoa and you’ve got a LUNCH.

Let me know how you like these bowls! I definitely want to keep making shrimp recipes because the deliciousness times the easiness factor is out of this world. Maybe I’ll venture out into some other animal proteins too?!? Who knows! Enjoy:)

Yours Truly,

Olivia:))

Mediterranean Spiced Shrimp Bowls

Mediterranean Spiced Shrimp Bowls

Ingredients

For The Shrimp:

-20-25 medium shrimp, defrosted or fresh

-1 tbsp olive oil

-1/2 tsp cumin

-1/2 tsp chilli powder

-1/2 tsp garlic powder

-1/4 tsp cayenne powder

-1/2 tsp oregano

-Salt and pepper to taste

For The Sauteed Veggies:

-1/2 tbsp olive oil

-2 small carrots, made into ribbons with a veggie peeler

-1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

-1/4 of a white onion, sliced

-1 200ml can of sliced black olives, drained

-1/2 tsp garlic powder

-Juice of 1/2 a lemon

-1/2 tbsp tahini

-Salt and pepper to taste

For the Cucumber Avocado Salad:

-1/4 of a long English cucumber, diced

-1/4 of a ripe avocado

-2 tsp tahini

-Salt and pepper to taste

Other:

-Cooked quinoa for serving


Directions

1. Add the olive oil for the shrimp to a pan and heat over medium heat. Add your shrimp to a small bowl and mix them with all of the spices. Dump the shrimp into the pan and cook for about 2 minutes per side, until the shrimp are opaque and slightly pink. Transfer them to a plate and set aside.

2. Add the olive oil for the veggies into the still hot pan. Add the veggies in and sautee until the peppers are soft and the onions are translucent. Add in the lemon juice, garlic powder, tahini, and salt and pepper and continue to cook for another 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

3. Mash the avocado for the salad in a small bowl, mix in the rest of the ingredients, and set aside.

4. To construct your bowls, start with some cooked quinoa, then add the veggies, shrimp, and cucumber salad. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice if desired and enjoy!


Carrot and Cabbage Slaw

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Slaw is so good guys! It goes on so many things- like sandwiches, bowls, and TACOS- and makes a delicious side! Today I’m sharing an amazing, fresh slaw recipe that’s lightened up with a super tasty dressing using avocado. Yum!

We’re keeping it super simple and using just one kind of cabbage and some carrots in this slaw. And if we’re going to pick just one cabbage, it’s gotta be purple cabbage! I grated up some purple cabbage and my carrots and combined them in a large bowl. This step doesn’t take very long at all, but if you’re looking for a speedier option, you can always grab a bag of pre-shredded cabbage mix at the grocery store.

The dressing is really what makes this slaw- it doesn’t require any blender whatsoever, and is so tangy and delish! I mashed up half of an avocado and mixed in some lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, and lots of salt and pepper. So easy, right? When mixed in with the veggies, the dressing loses its green colour, and so you don’t even notice that you’re eating avocado- all you taste is a fresh and amazing slaw!

This is a great addition to any supper, and would be so good on my Veggie Tacos, Epic Veggie Sandwich, or as a finishing touch to a bowl or salad! It’s so healthy, delicious, and bright, and I love how simple it is to make!

Yours Truly,

Olivia:))

Carrot and Cabbage Slaw

  • Servings: 4
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Ingredients

-1 cup shredded cabbage

-1 cup shredded carrot

-1/2 a ripe avocado

-2 tsp apple cider vinegar

-2 tsp lemon juice

-1/4 tsp garlic powder

-Salt and pepper to taste


Directions

1. Combine the carrot and cabbage together in a large bowl.

2. Mash the avocado in a small bowl. Add in the apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, garlic powder and salt and pepper, and stir to combine.

3. Mix the dressing into the carrots and cabbage.

4. Serve with your favourite dishes.


Cauliflower Rice Salad

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Hey guys! Today I have a very nice, bright and fresh salad for you that is the perfect base for any protein! It’s full of veggies and has an AMAZING parsley and cilantro dressing that’s whipped up in the blender. The cauliflower base of the salad is created in the blender as well… and let me tell you, I’m loving it!

If sweet potatoes in the microwave isn’t life changing enough, let me introduce you to riced cauliflower! I had half a cauliflower in the fridge waiting to be used up, and I thought I’d do a little something different with it. So I cut it into chunks and tossed it in the blender- yes the blender- and was left with some perfect cauliflower “rice” that makes an amazing base to this salad! I’m really excited to do even more cool stuff with this rice substitute in the future- I stored my extra cauli rice in the freezer for later use. So yes, expect a storm of cauliflower rice recipes coming your way soon:))

In addition to those little grains of cauliflower, this salad has a bunch of other fresh veggies, including cucumber, tomato, chickpeas, and red onion! Definitely getting some nice Mediterranean vibes from this recipe. That red onion adds some extra flavour- onions rock, just so you know. And those chickpeas add a bit of protein so that the whole thing is more filling. This salad is definitely great by itself, but if you’re looking for a more substantial meal you can DEFINITELY top it with a delicious protein of your choice. Some proteins that would be great with this salad are:

  • Chicken breast
  • Steak
  • Boiled eggs
  • Canned tuna
  • More beans

Whipping up a big batch of this and preparing some proteins is a great meal-prep option, and also makes for a great quick and easy school lunch!

Let’s talk about the dressing- it’s pretty darn good. Even though it’s really simple, the bright herb flavours really shine through! I used lots of cilantro and parsley, and brought in some lemon juice for that acid. With some olive oil and the addition of garlic and some salt and pepper, the dressing comes together beautifully! Trust me, this is a container of green gold right here.

So so good! This dressing coats all of the salad ingredients and amps up the flavour of all of the veggies.

This recipe is definitely a quick and easy winner- perfect for a quick lunch or dinner, super fresh and healthy, and VERY TASTY. Enjoy!

Yours Truly,

Olivia:))

Cauliflower Rice Salad

  • Servings: 2-4
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To Make the Cauliflower Rice: Add cauliflower florets to a blender or food processor, and blend until evenly chopped and rice-like in texture. Alternatively, you can grate the cauliflower!

Ingredients

For the Salad

-1 1/3 cups riced cauliflower

-1 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

-1 tomato, diced

-1/4 of a cucumber, diced

-1/4 of a red onion, diced

For the Dressing

-1/4 cup packed parsley

-1/4 cup packed cilantro

-1/4 cup olive oil

-Juice of 1/2 a lemon

-Salt and pepper to taste


Directions

1. Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a blender and set aside.

2. Mix together the salad ingredients in a large bowl, add in the dressing, and toss everything to combine.

3. Serve with a protein of choice.


Tropical Baked Oats

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I want to travel or go somewhere really bad, but I don’t know if that will be happening for a while. Fortunately, if I close my eyes and eat these Tropical Baked Oats, I may be able to imagine that I’m on a beach somewhere. I just won’t think about the foot of snow outside, and I’ll throw on a heated blanket or something. Annnnnywaaays, on a more serious note, these baked oats are very healthy and delicious, and are a great recipe for breakfast meal prep!

This was my first time baking oats, and I was really surprised at the results! (In a good way I promise). They’re not super loose like stove topped oats, but they’re not completely set and structured like I expected. They’re at a perfect spot in between that’s in a league of its own. You can cut out even slices or just scoop out big servings (my preferred method) and then add toppings to your heart’s content! You probably already guessed that I added peanut butter. And you would be correct.

We’ve also got double the tropical fruitiness going on in these oats, because I added pineapple both in the actual liquid that the oats bake in, and on top along with some kiwi. Preparing the recipe was simple: I blended up a ripe banana, pineapple, vanilla and almond milk, then poured it over a ceramic baking dish full of oats mixed with allspice. After that I placed more fruits on top, baked it up, and boom, done! You get a delicious, nutritious, and fruity breakfast:) My favourite part is that the fruits on top get a bit browned and caramelized. They’re just so good!

Making a double batch of this recipe would be great for a week of meal prepped breakfasts. Each day just scoop oat a serving of oats and warm them up in the microwave, adding some delish toppings to spruce it up a little. You could also try freezing individual portions and make a top secret emergency oat stash. Ok I guess it doesn’t have to be top secret, but it’s more fun that way. Also then you don’t have to share. Bonus!

Make sure you try out these baked oats if you’re looking to switch up your breakfast routine! Keep your eyes out for new flavours because I’m loving this baking technique.

Tropical Baked Oats

Serves: 2-4 (I ate like half but you could also split it into quarters lol)

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 ripe banana
  • 2 cups pineapple, chopped or sliced
  • 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
  • 1/2 tsp allspice
  • 1 kiwi, sliced, or a few slices of frozen kiwi

Directions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. In a blender, blend 1 cup of the pineapple with the ripe banana, almond milk, and vanilla. Set aside.
  3. Add the oats and allspice into an 8 inch ceramic (or glass) baking dish, and mix together. Pour in the blended pineapple mixture and stir until everything is combined.
  4. Top the oats with the remaining 1 cup of pineapple, and a few slices of kiwi. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
  5. Once the oats have been baking for 20 minutes, turn the oven to broil to get the fruit on top nice and soft! Broil for an additional 5 minutes.
  6. Remove the oats from the oven, scoop onto plates or into bowls, and add your favourite toppings before enjoying!

I love this little at-home taste of the tropics! Let me know if you try out these delicious Tropical Baked Oats:)) See you Friday!

Yours Truly,

Olivia:))

Roasted Cauliflower Wraps with Red Pepper Sauce

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I’m back! I went on a little vacation and wasn’t super active on my blog or social media, but I’m coming back with a BANG, aka these Roasted Cauliflower Wraps with Red Pepper Sauce. Portable lunches are going to have to start becoming a thing again soon, so these beauties are going to help you get one step ahead. Simply roast, wrap, press, and then boom, you’ve got yourself an amazing, nutritious lunch.

The cauliflower, red onions, and red peppers all get roasted up on the same pan, then the peppers are tossed in the blender with garlic, oil, and lots of cilantro to make a bea-u-tiful sauce. I spread it on a wrap, then added the cauliflower, onions, some avocado, and some spinach. YUM. After rolling, my wrap got the VIP treatment in my panini press. Once you start pressing your wraps and getting those perfect grill marks on there, you’re not going back. It also helps the wrap stay together- perfect for lunchbags.

These would be great prepared the night before, or if you prep all of the ingredients and then just roll and press as needed. This recipe makes 1 wrap but lots of extra sauce, which is awesome in bowls, more wraps, salads, more wraps, for dipping things in, and in more wraps. I hope you enjoy this recipe and keep an eye out for more meal prep ideas coming soon!!

Roasted Cauliflower Wraps with Red Pepper Sauce

Serves: 1 (with extra sauce)

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

For the Red Pepper Sauce:

  • 2 small red bell peppers, chopped
  • 2 tbs + 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1/2 cup cilantro, loosely packed
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

For the Wraps:

  • 1 Whole Wheat Wrap
  • 1/2 cup cauliflower florets, cut into small pieces
  • 1/4 of a red onion, sliced
  • 1/2 an avocado, thinly sliced
  • a small handful of spinach leaves
  • 1 tbsp Red Pepper Sauce
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Place the cauliflower, red peppers, and red onion on a parchment lined baking sheet. Toss each with 1 tsp of olive oil and some salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for about 20 minutes, until soft and slightly charred.
  3. Remove the pan from the oven and add the red peppers, along with the rest of the Red Pepper Sauce ingredients, into a blender and blend until smooth. Set aside.
  4. Preheat a panini press and begin assembling your wrap. Spread 1 tbs of sauce onto a whole wheat wrap, then add the cauliflower, onions, spinach, and avocado, and fold tightly, tucking the two vertical edges in, then rolling away from you.
  5. Place the wrap on the press and bring the lid down on it. Let gravity do its work and leave your wrap in the press for about a minute.
  6. Carefully remove your wrap from the press and enjoy!!

Happy munching and I’ll see you Wednesday!:)

Yours Truly,

Olivia:))