My family has a traditional Italian version of this spinach ball recipe that uses bread crumb.  I made this recipe gluten friendly as well as a little healthier by swapping the bread out for quinoa. These spinach balls are a delicious snack on their own.  I have spinach ball soup, the way my family would serve them, as a serving suggestion.
This recipe can be altered by adding a different type of cheese or seasoning if desired.  Some of the spinach could be subbed for artichoke and add fetta rather than Romano.  If you want to make it dairy free instead of cheese add some nutritional yeast for flavor. 

40 oz frozen spinach (2 cups thawed)
1 cup quinoa cooked and cooled
1 cup grated Romano cheese
3 medium cloves of garlic
1 TBS olive oil
2 tsp parsley chopped
1.5 tsp salt
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp black pepper
1 egg
Pre-heat oven to 350*. Strain and squeeze spinach to remove excess water. Very finely chop garlic and parsley.  Mix all ingredients.  You can test a small pinch by baking it off in the oven to insure you have enough seasoning. Roll into about 1” balls and place on greased baking sheet lined in aluminum foil or parchment paper. Bake until the outside begins to brown and inside is at least 165*.  Turn tray halfway through for more even cooking.  It will take about 30 minutes to cook. Be careful not to overcook them because the chia seeds will get overly crispy on the outside. 
Serving suggestion- Spinach ball chicken soup   
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​​Swapping out traditional flour crust pizza for cauliflower crust pizza not only swaps out a high-glycemic carbohydrate for a low-glycemic vegetable it also makes it gluten free for special diets and decreases the calories per a slice.  This swap makes a recipe low in nutritional density into a recipe high in nutritional density.  Leftovers are an easy re-heat and can also be frozen.

Crust
1 small head of cauliflower coarsely chopped
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
3/4 cup finely ground brown rice flour
1 garlic clove, finely chopped 
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Toppings 
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella
1/4 cup Pizza sauce
 
Arrange a rack in middle of oven and Preheat to 425°F.
Working in batches if needed, pulse cauliflower in a food processor, until fine crumbs form and are rice-like in texture. Transfer to a clean kitchen towel and tightly squeeze to remove as much liquid as possible.  
Mix cauliflower, garlic, egg, parmesan, brown rice flour, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper in a medium bowl until mixture holds together when pinched.
Press mixture in warmed cast iron pan with a spatula or on parchment paper an place directly on a rack in the oven.   
Bake cauliflower crust until golden brown and firm to the touch, about 15-20 minutes.
Remove from oven and add light amount of toppings like sauce, pesto, mozzarella, veggies. 
Continue to bake until cheese melts, about 5–7 minutes. Let sit 5 minutes on wire rack before cutting 

1 ½ cups quinoa, uncooked and rinsed
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 English cucumber, diced
4 oz feta cheese, crumbled
1 tsp fresh oregano, chopped
1 Tbs red wine vinegar
2 Tbs olive oil
¼ tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
This salad is awesome to have on hand for the week or to take to a party.  It will keep for several days so make a few servings. 
Rinse the quinoa first to get rid of any bitterness on the outside of the seeds. Add 1 ½ cups quinoa to a small pot with 3 cups of water. Bring this mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook covered loosely for 15 minutes or until the water has been absorbed. Fluff with a fork and let cool.  Dice the English cucumber and the tomatoes and add to a bowl. Make the dressing by whisking the chopped fresh oregano with the olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.  Add the quinoa and the dressing to the bowl with the tomatoes and cucumbers and toss gently. Crumble the feta on top. Salt and pepper to taste.
Side note:
​I've also made this recipe without using the vinegar and adding parsley instead of oregano. I added black olives as well.  

This is so simple and delicious.  It’s a good combo to make with the sliced eggplant and tomato with pesto.  I recommend skipping the cheese on the chicken if you are going to use the cheese on the eggplant to stick to a serving size of cheese/dairy.
2 chicken breasts
2 tomatoes
6 Tbs pesto
Fresh Mozzarella Cheese
Sea salt and ground black pepper
Salt and Pepper chicken and then add a tablespoon of pesto to each side of the chicken.  Slice tomatoes and top chicken with tomato.   Top with a little more black pepper then Mozzarella cheese.  Add a tablespoon of pesto on top. Cover and bake on 350 until chicken is cooked through about 45 minutes.  Makes 3-4 servings

​This simple dish is an easy addition to any meal and makes plenty for leftovers.  It goes well with the baked chicken breast with pesto caprese.
2-3 thinly sliced eggplant any variety
3 sliced tomatoes
Fresh mozzarella cheese
2-3 tablespoons of Pesto
¼ cup whole wheat panko or quinoa 
Salt and pepper  
Olive oil
Slice eggplant and toss lightly with salt and pepper. Line baking dish with overlapping eggplant in one layer.  Dice tomatoes and toss with pesto.  Top eggplant with tomatoes.  You can add a light sprinkle of panko or quinoa then top with dollops of Mozzarella. Bake covered 350 for about 30 minutes until cheese melts and eggplant is tender.  Remove cover and broil until cheese is brown about 3 minute. 

​This is a simple one pan recipe that is full of flavor and quick and easy to make.  This reheats well and can be used to make other dishes as well. 
One package of turkey sausage with casing removes
3-4 bell peppers any color
2-3 tomatoes cut into wedges
1 small onion
2 cloves garlic
2 Tbs olive oil
In a non-stick pan cook turkey sausage removed from casing in 1Tbs olive oil until it is just done then remove from the pan.  Add another 1Tbs olive oil and chopped onions.  Cook until onions start to brown then add bell peppers cook for about 3-4 more minutes until peppers start to soften then add chopped garlic for another minute or two.  Add cooked turkey sausage back into the pan and let all the ingredients cook on low for about 10 minutes stirring frequently.   

​This breakfast has so many things that are good for you.  Fiber and iron from the oats and hemp protein.  Omegas from the hemp and Chia seed. It’s loaded in protein and sustainable carbohydrates to help you power through your morning. If you have seasonal allergies local honey is thought to help build your tolerance to your local pollen.  You can also mix the dry ingredients in bulk in a airtight container to save time in the morning.  

Ingredients
1/4-1/2 cup dry quick cook oats
1.5Tbs hemp seed
½ Tbs Chia seed
1 Tbs powdered peanut butter
About ¼ cup water depending on what dry ingredients you use

Mix dry ingredients then add water and microwave 1-1.5 minutes or add hot water if pasty add a little more water.  I use less oats because I find this so filling but you can use up to a serving size ½ cup of dry oats. Dried spices like Cinnamon or nutmeg can also be added to give a different flavor.  
I like to make a large batch in a airtight container. Just match serving sizes to get a serving of carbs a serving of fat and a serving of protein. One serving oats one serving fat and protein source. Example: One 15 serving of oats, 7.5 servings hemp seed, 7.5 servings Chia seed, 7,5 servings powdered Peanut Butter or other powdered protein source. 

This is a delicious flavor filled recipe with few ingredients.  I use a pressure cooker to infuse the pork with the sweet and tangy taste of the mango salsa.  The meat falls apart with the touch of a fork.  It taste great the next day too so make extra.  If you don’t have a pressure cooker you can slow cook the seared pork using a regular pan or crock pot covered with a lid.
Sauté frozen or fresh mango and pineapple pieces with avocado oil until warm (sub canola if avocado is unavailable) remove mango and pineapple and brown lightly seasoned pork tenderloin pieces.  Turn off and let sit a minute or two to let the oil cool.  Cover browned pork with ¾ of a jar a non-tomato based mango salsa and cover. Cook on high pressure for 20 minutes then let the pressure slow release.  You can let the pork sit on keep warm covered if you need to but do not open the lid until you are ready to serve.  Cover the pork with the remaining salsa and cooked pineapple and mango pieces.
1 Strip of pork loin cut into serving size and seasoned lightly with black pepper and sea salt (about 5 servings)
1 cup of pineapple diced
1 cup of mango diced
2Tbs Avocado oil
1 jar of a high quality mango salsa (made without tomato) room temperature

This simple recipe will give you a healthy meal you can eat all week long.  The ingredients can be tailored to your taste. You can bake a chicken or get a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store to make your own stock (recipe on dawnsbodyshop.com) or buy a container of low sodium chicken stock from the grocery store. 
Heat oil on medium/low then add onion into olive oil with salt until the onion starts to become translucent. And garlic and cook about a minute more. There should be liquid in the pan from the onions but if not add a splash of water then add carrots and cook until they start to soften add celery and cook about two minutes more. Add ground black pepper and red pepper flakes to taste then mix in cooked chicken meat. Top with warm stock and simmer on low for about an hour. Skim off any film that may form on the top. Re-season to taste and enjoy!

White meat chicken from cooked whole chicken or 2-3 chicken breasts seasoned with salt and pepper cooked and diced
1 large onion peeled and sliced
2-3 garlic cloves peeled and diced
4-5 carrots peeled and cut into bitesize pieces
1 whole celery sliced and washed well
¼- ½  teaspoon sea salt
Ground black pepper to taste
Red pepper flakes to taste 

You can make stock with any type of bones and vegetable mix you like to alter the flavor.  This is an easy recipe for making a flavorful chicken stock you can use to make your favorite soups or use to flavor things like brown rice or quinoa.  Stock can also be frozen in large batches or ice cube trays to use later.  It gives you something to do with the leftovers after making an oven roaster or grilled chicken.  You can also get a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store to cut out having to cook your own chicken. 
Place all ingredients into a medium size crock pot cover with water and cook on medium for 6 - 12 hours.  Ingredients can also be simmered on low for 3-4 hours in a large pot. You will know the stock is done when the vegetables are soft and the liquid is a golden brown. Once cooked strain into a storage container and float a layer of plastic wrap over the top.  Regenerate to cool and the fat will attach to the plastic wrap.  Once cool remove the plastic wrap and use the stock as desired.
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Chicken bones and chicken meat scraps
Leftover scraps from veggies like carrot peels and tops celery trimmings washed well, onion and garlic peels
1 large carrot
3 celery stalks washed well
One whole onion quartered with peel on
3-5 cloves of garlic smashed with peels on
A handful of fresh time
¼ teaspoon black peppercorns whole
¼- ½  teaspoon red pepper flakes or a dried whole chili pepper 

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This is a version of a classic recipe that is altered to make it a little less sinful.  Using whole wheat or a gluten free pasta, cutting the ricotta cheese in half by mixing in spinach and using a leaner meat for the sauce will cut down the fat and starch.  
Remove the casing from the turkey sausage and break apart while browning in 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add salt free crushed tomatoes and simmer over low heat stirring frequently. Boil water for the pasta while mixing cheese.  Mix ricotta, defrosted spinach, and 3 cups mozzarella cheese, egg, black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes. Boil pasta according to directions on the box.  Preheat oven to 350* Drizzle olive oil in the bottom of a baking dish then spoon a coating of sauce in the dish.  Layer lasagna, cheese, sauce for 3-4 layers and top with sauce and remaining mozzarella cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and cook at 350* until the sauce starts to bubble about 30 minutes. Remove aluminum foil and cook until the cheese on top melts about 10-15 minutes more.  Let sit and cool for 10 minutes to let set before serving.  Server with a spoonful of extra sauce on top.
 
Turkey sausage
Olive oil
28oz salt free crushed tomatoes
16oz part skim ricotta cheese
 16oz defrosted spinach
4 cups reduced fat mozzarella cheese shredded
1 egg
1TBS black pepper
1/4tsp crushed red pepper flakes
A box of 100% whole wheat or gluten free lasagna 

This easy recipe is a great way to create a yummy fresh sage flavored oil, plus the smell of the sage cooking is phenomenal.  My favorite way to use the oil cubes is to braise pork tenderloin in the oil. 

​5 cups fresh sage leaves
3 cups of olive or canola oil

Clean and de-stem about 5 cups of sage and let air dry.  Heat 3 cups of olive or canola oil and the sage over medium heat, stirring a few times while cooking and being careful not to let the oil smoke.  Cook until the sage becomes crispy and then remove from heat.  Transfer the sage with a slotted spoon into a strainer and sit the strainer over the pot or a dish to let the extra oil strain out.  Once the oil is cool transfer the oil into ice cube trays and freeze.  Transfer the frozen oil cubes into freezer bags and keep in the freezer until you are ready to use them. 

At the end of the summer don’t let your garden herbs go to waste.   Blending your basil with garlic and a little extra virgin olive oil to make sure you always have extra flavor on hand all year long.  This flavorful frozen cube easily melts into your favorite recipe.  Use it to flavor soups, stews, rice, beans, meats and more.  The options are limitless.  If you don’t grow your own herbs stop by your local farmers market to stock up.  

Pull basil leaves and wash well.  Add 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil into food processor or blender and top with 5 cup of rinsed basil leaves. Drop in 1 medium clove of cooled and peeled roasted garlic (recipe on dawnsbodyshop.com), add some fresh ground black pepper and drizzle leftover olive oil from roasted garlic on top of basil.  Blend quickly or with pulsing option on a low speed just until the mixture becomes a slightly liquidly paste.  If the basil won’t blend down press the basil down in between runs and add a small amount of more oil if needed.  Transfer mixture into a mixing bowl and continue in batches until you are through the basil you want to preserve for the winter.   Feel free to add more or less garlic depending on your tastes.  Once you get all of the basil done spoon into ice cube trays and freeze.  Once frozen place cubes into several small freezer bags so you can pull out a few cubes at a time and limit the chance of freezer burn.

5 cups pulled basil
1 cooled and peeled roasted garlic clove
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
Oil reserved from roasted garlic
Fresh ground black pepper

   Juice and zest of 1 large lemon 
   About 2 TBS roughly chopped fresh rosemary  
  1 shallot sliced
  2 TBS extra virgin olive oil

Mix together and use as a marinade or dressing on anything.  This recipe is particularly good on grilled shrimp and chicken. The acid in the lemon makes this a quick marinade it's not meant to let sit for a long period of time.