fitness

Bacon-Wrapped Pork Loin with Fruity Date Sauce

Bacon-Wrapped Pork Loin with Fruity Date Sauce

Wrapping bacon around a loin roast gives it a great smoky flavor and pairs beautifully with the sweet orange, date, and ginger flavors in the sauce. As the dates cook, they soften considerably and almost “melt” into the sauce. Prep time 15 minutesServes 6 3-pound (1.4…

Italian Balsamic BBQ Meatloaf

Italian Balsamic BBQ Meatloaf

Here’s another spin on meatloaf using bulk Italian sausage to boost the flavor and minced vegetables to keep it moist. I added my Balsamic BBQ Sauce over the top to give it a tangy twist. Prep time 20 minutesServes 6 1 pound (455 g) ground beef1 pound (455 g) uncooked…

Avocado-Stuffed Taco Meatloaf

Avocado-Stuffed Taco Meatloaf

One night, I was brainstorming recipes and I had an idea for a taco-flavored meatloaf stuffed with avocados. My husband thought I was a bit nuts to put avocados in a meatloaf, but I learned through this process that you never know how something will turn out unless…

BBQ Bacon Bison Meatballs

BBQ Bacon Bison Meatballs

Bison has grown more popular in recent years, and is incredibly good for you. It is very lean and can dry out easily, so it’s good to pair it with something a little fatty and moist—like bacon. Cover it with some BBQ sauce, too, and you’ll have some pretty spectacular…

Sun-Dried Tomato and Pesto Meatballs and Spaghetti Squash

Sun-Dried Tomato and Pesto Meatballs and Spaghetti Squash

Meatballs, sauce, and “noodles” all in one pot! You could even make a large batch of meatballs and freeze them on a cookie sheet, then divide them into portions in zip-top bags. Throwing a bag of frozen meatballs into a pot with some sauce and a spaghetti squash can…

Creamy Meatballs and Gravy

Creamy Meatballs and Gravy

My Grandma Inez shows her love through her cooking, and she’s always excited for our family to try new things she makes. One slow cooker dish she makes quite often—and that we all love—are her meatballs and gravy. Because the recipe calls for so much mayonnaise and…

Sloppy Joes for a Crowd

Sloppy Joes for a Crowd

The benefit of using a slow cooker for sloppy joes is its portability (potlucks!) and the ease of keeping food warm. Eating sloppy joes paleo-style with a couple of lettuce leaves gives “sloppy” a whole new meaning. We’ve branched out into making sloppy joe salads…

Sweet Potato Foil Packet “Tacos”

Sweet Potato Foil Packet “Tacos”

This recipe won the North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission’s Blogger Recipe Contest (Kid-Friendly Category) several years ago! I created it with my two daughters, who were about two and four years old at the time. They loved assembling their own packets. These would…

Simple Sausage and Peppers with Sauerkraut

Simple Sausage and Peppers with Sauerkraut

This recipe couldn’t be simpler, but sometimes the simplest things yield the best results. Choose brats or similar sausages you really like, because they flavor the whole pot. Also, adding a few forkfuls of sauerkraut on each serving is a must! Prep time 10…

Beef and Potato Stew with Cilantro Cream and Kale Chips

Beef and Potato Stew with Cilantro Cream and Kale Chips

There’s a steak and potato salad recipe that is possibly my favorite potato salad. It is dressed in a cilantro chimichurri dressing and mixed with crispy grilled kale. I took these flavors and made a warm version, keeping that bright chimichurri flavor in the cilantro…

Mongolian Beef and Broccoli

Mongolian Beef and Broccoli

One of my favorite Chinese dishes is Mongolian Beef. I love the addition of broccoli, which gives this a freshness that cuts through the sweet sauce. The slices of beef are thin in this dish, so it cooks up quickly. You could throw this in your cooker after lunch and…