Author

Reed Dunn

Vegetarian

Veggie-Packed Spaghetti Squash

by Reed Dunn

Spaghetti squash is really versatile, and I absolutely can’t get enough of the crunchy texture. Mix that with a bunch of colorful veggies, and you have this vegetarian dinner. Tomatoes, red peppers and spinach even make it a bit festive for the holidays.

There’s only about one hour standing between you and this healthful dinner, so you can plan it for any weeknight. Also, the flexibility of veggies is up to you. Maybe you want to add mushrooms or other bell peppers. Go ahead … I’m not going to stop you.

 

Also, skip the cheese and make it Whole30 friendly and even vegan! Perfect for a Meatless Monday, Tuesday or any ol’ day.

Veggie-Packed Spaghetti Squash
1 spaghetti squash
1 onion
1 red bell pepper
5 ounces baby spinach
1 pint grape tomatoes
1 lemon
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil
Feta cheese (optional)
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Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cut squash in half, lengthwise and remove seeds. Place face up on a foil-lined baking sheet and brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 40 minutes.
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While squash is baking, thinly slice onion and red bell pepper. Rinse tomatoes. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to a large skillet over high heat. Add onion and bell pepper and sauté for 10 minutes, until vegetables are cooked through and onion starts to brown. Reduce heat and add spinach into the pan. Stir until spinach starts to wilt. Empty vegetables into a bowl and set aside.
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Heat another 1-2 tablespoons olive oil in skillet over medium low. Add in cherry tomatoes and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Using a fork, scrape spaghetti squash into the pan. Stir in onion, pepper and spinach, mixing all together. Squeeze in juice of 1 lemon and adjust seasoning.
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Garnish with feta cheese, if desired, and an extra drizzle of olive oil. Serve.

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BreakfastVegetarian

Broccoli Cheddar Quiche

by Reed Dunn

Whether you’re having a weekend brunch with friends or planning for a large holiday gathering, this Broccoli Cheddar Quiche is an easy dish to put together to serve up to 12 guests. It tastes great fresh out of the oven, served cold or reheated. Plus, the use of frozen, store-bought crusts makes this a stress-free baking experience.

Serve this quiche alongside a simple Arugula Salad or some cut, fresh fruit for a complete meal. Don’t forget the mimosas or a fun coffee drink to really impress your friends and family.

broccoli cheddar quiche

Broccoli Cheddar Quiche

Whether you’re having a weekend brunch with friends or planning for a large holiday gathering, this Broccoli Cheddar Quiche is an easy dish to put together to serve up to… Print This
Serves: 12
Rating: 5.0/5
( 2 voted )

Ingredients

  • 12 eggs
  • 1 cup half and half
  • 3 cups freshly shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 head broccoli
  • 1 medium onion
  • 2 frozen pie crusts
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Fine dice onion and chop the broccoli into very small pieces, discarding stem (or save to use later for broccoli cheddar soup).

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté for 8 to 10 minutes, until onion is well cooked and translucent.

Crack eggs into a medium bowl and whisk together. Pour in cream and add salt and pepper, whisking until well combined.

Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese into the bottom of each frozen pie crust. Top with cooked onions and broccoli. Pour egg batter to fill each pie crust. Sprinkle each with 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese.

Bake on the middle rack for about 40 minutes, or until filling is set.

Updated on July 21, 2020 to replace photo. Note: Photo shows one Broccoli Cheddar Quiche and a peek-a-boo of a Zucchini Quiche.

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PescatarianWhole30

Shrimp & Potato Chowder

by Reed Dunn

Post updated to include new photography and refined recipe.

This chunky Shrimp & Potato Chowder is not only a cozy meal as summer winds down and temperatures shift to the cooler fall and winter months, but it’s simple to make and Whole30 friendly. Starting with a basic mirepoix base, this chowder might just become a standard for quick-and-easy, hearty dinners at your house, too.

ShrimpPotatoChowder 2

Shrimp & Potato Chowder

Post updated to include new photography and refined recipe. This chunky Shrimp & Potato Chowder is not only a cozy meal as summer winds down and temperatures shift to the… Print This
Serves: 6-8 Prep Time: Cooking Time:
Rating: 5.0/5
( 3 voted )

Ingredients

  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 ribs celery, diced
  • 1½ pounds golden potatoes, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 1 tablespoon dried parsley
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 pound shrimp, peeled, deveined and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Fresh parsley (optional) for serving

Instructions

Add olive oil to a large pot or dutch oven on medium-high heat. Once heated, add onion, carrot and celery. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and diced potatoes, cooking for 1 minute.

Add vegetable broth, dried parsley, paprika, dried thyme, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, until potatoes are cooked. Remove about 2 cups of chowder and place in a blender, pulsing until smooth.

Return blended chowder back to the pot with coconut milk. Increase heat and return to a simmer. Once simmering, stir in shrimp and cook for about 3 minutes, until shrimp is cooked through. Taste and add more salt, if needed.

Serve immediately with fresh, chopped parsley to garnish (optional).

Notes

Instead of blending a portion of the chowder, you can use an immersion blender right in the pot. Pulse about 10 to 15 times to break up potatoes and vegetables to thicken, careful not to over blend. You want to keep most of the chunky potatoes and vegetables.

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VeganVegetarianWhole30

Coconut Creamed Spinach

by Reed Dunn

When I’m trying to eat healthy, it’s often difficult to bring green into a meal with something other than a boring side salad. I’m admittedly not the biggest fan of raw spinach, but I do like it cooked down as an element in main dishes.

For this Coconut Creamed Spinach, I really let the superfood be the shining ingredient. Plus, with the substitution of coconut milk, this is a much healthier alternative to a traditional cream cheese-laden recipe popular in Southern cooking.

when im trying to eat healthy its often difficult to bring green into a meal with something other th

Coconut Creamed Spinach

When I’m trying to eat healthy, it’s often difficult to bring green into a meal with something other than a boring side salad. I’m admittedly not the biggest fan of… Print This
Serves: 2 to 4 Prep Time: Cooking Time:
Rating: 4.3/5
( 3 voted )

Ingredients

  • 10 ounces pre-washed baby spinach
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 1/2 white onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • Pinch red pepper flakes, optional

Instructions

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add diced onion and cook, continuously stirring for about 7-9 minutes, or until onions are soft. Add garlic and continue stirring for 1 minute.

Reduce heat to medium and stir in baby spinach, half at a time, so it cooks down and makes room in the pan. Season with salt, pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes (optional). Stir in coconut milk to combine well. Cook for 5 minutes, until coconut milk is warm and begins to thicken. Serve.

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VeganVegetarianWhole30

Whole30 Cream of Mushroom Soup

by Reed Dunn

I love any dish with mushrooms, and when they are the main ingredient, I love it even more. This creamy mushroom soup is Whole30-friendly and packs the umami flavor in a big way. The ingredients are simple, but the flavor is bold. This soup is a much-tastier version than the canned variety and makes a great starter for a cozy fall or winter meal.

i love any dish with mushrooms and when they are the main ingredient i love it even more. this cream

Whole30 Cream of Mushroom Soup

I love any dish with mushrooms, and when they are the main ingredient, I love it even more. This creamy mushroom soup is Whole30-friendly and packs the umami flavor in… Print This
Rating: 5.0/5
( 1 voted )

Ingredients

  • 1 onion, diced
  • 4 cups rough-diced baby bella mushrooms
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 can coconut milk
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Instructions

In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over high heat. Add onion and cook for 3-5 minutes. Add diced mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine, reduce heat to medium-high and cook for 10-12 minutes, or until liquid has evaporated and mushrooms start to crisp.

Add vegetable broth and reduce heat to medium. Stir and scrape down sides of pot. Pour in coconut milk, add a few more punches of salt, fresh thyme and some cracked black pepper. Stir to combine and bring back to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 15-18 minutes, until flavors come together and soup thickens a bit.

Taste, adjust seasonings and serve.

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PescatarianWhole30

Brussels Sprouts Hash with Roasted Salmon

by Reed Dunn

Brussels sprouts get a flavor boost with a surprising bite of apple in this Whole30 dish topped with a perfectly baked portion of salmon. Once everything is prepped, this meal comes together in exactly 12 minutes. That’s the kind of meal I need during the busy holiday season.

This is another quick dish that works well when I’m actually doing a Whole30 (look out, January!), because it doesn’t take too much time to prep and the ingredient list is rather short.

brussels sprouts gat a flavor boost with a surprising bite of apple in this whole30 dish topped with

Brussels Sprouts Hash with Roasted Salmon

Brussels sprouts get a flavor boost with a surprising bite of apple in this Whole30 dish topped with a perfectly baked portion of salmon. Once everything is prepped, this meal… Print This
Serves: 2
Rating: 5.0/5
( 1 voted )

Ingredients

  • 2 5-ounce salmon filets
  • 1 ½ pounds Brussels sprouts
  • ½ white onion
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 apple
  • Avocado oil
  • Sea Salt
  • Black pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. While oven is heating, cut off the woody part of Brussels sprouts and slice thin to create shreds. Set aside. Thinly slice onion; peel, thinly slice and fine dice apple; and mince garlic.

Line a baking sheet with foil and brush it with avocado oil. Add salmon filets, skin-side down, to the pan. Brush tops with avocado oil and generously season with sea salt and fresh-cracked black pepper. Bake for 12 minutes.

While salmon is baking, heat 2 tablespoons avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add thinly sliced onion and saute for about 3 minutes. Add fine-diced apple and garlic, cooking another 1-2 minutes. Add Brussels sprout shreds and reduce heat to medium. Stir until well combined and continue stirring to cook for about 7 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve salmon on top of a bed of shredded Brussels sprouts.

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Vegetarian

Baked Eggs in a Mashed Potato Nest

by Reed Dunn

It’s the last day before my Thanksgiving leftovers have to hit the compost bin, so I decided to make a quick breakfast dish with some reimagined mashed potatoes that create a nest for a perfectly baked egg.

This dish couldn’t be any easier. I just piped leftover mashed potatoes into individual Lodge Cast Iron skillets, making sure to create a larger outer wall. Then I cracked an egg in the center and baked these in a 400 degree F oven for about 15 minutes. (You can bake it for longer to get an egg that is cooked to your liking. You also can just spread leftover mashed potatoes into the dish, creating a well in the center for the egg, if you don’t want to get out a piping bag.)

With or without mashed potatoes as a leftover, this recipe is definitely going into my back pocket for the next brunch gathering I host. I’m definitely going to need to collect a few more of these perfect little skillets.

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HolidayParties & EventsThanksgiving

Whipped Herb Butter

by Reed Dunn

Whipped Herb Butter was a great addition to my Thanksgiving spread. The truth is, adding some sea salt and fresh herbs to butter will impress your guests for any holiday or special occasion gathering. You can even use a mini scoop to make individual servings and treat your guests to the same high-end service they might get at a fancy pants restaurant.

This batch of herb butter only takes 5 minutes to make, even though it seems much fancier. Of course, that doesn’t account for the time it takes to get your chilled butter down to a softened state.

Whipped Thyme Butter
2 sticks butter
2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh thyme
1 tablespoon sea salt

Soften butter to room temperature. Once soft, add into a bowl. Using a hand mixer on medium, mix butter for 2 minutes. Add milk, salt and thyme and mix for another 2-3 minutes until butter becomes a soft, fluffy texture.

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Vegetarian

Sweet Potato & Sage Pizza

by Reed Dunn

Everyone loves pizza, and I love it even more when non-traditional toppings create a new flavor profile for one of my favorite meals. That brought me to the creation of this Sweet Potato & Sage Pizza, which was a great meal to create as I began preparations for Thanksgiving dinner.

Sweet Potato & Sage Pizza
1 pre-made pizza dough
1/2 sweet potato
1/4 large onion
12-15 sage leaves
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups fresh shredded mozzarella
Salt and pepper
Flour to dust counter
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Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Rest pizza dough on flour-dusted counter for 30 minutes.
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White dough is resting, thinly slice onion and sweet potato (I used a mandolin) and shred cheese.
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In a skillet over high heat, add a tablespoon of olive oil and sauté onion and sweet potato for about 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat.
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When dough is rested, stretch it to a 12- to 14-inch circle and place on a pizza pan. Brush olive oil onto the dough, keeping the outer 1/2-inch dry. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add 1 cup shredded cheese to the pizza. Spread cooked onion and sweet potato onto cheese and top with additional 1/2 cup cheese.
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Place sage leaves onto pizza and place in oven to cook for 13-15 minutes or until crust is crispy. Enjoy!

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HolidayThanksgivingVegetarian

Parsnip Mash

by Reed Dunn

Are you ready to mix up your mash this Thanksgiving? Try my recipe for a mostly parsnip-based mash with just a bit of potato. You can serve it with pesto or pour over massive amounts of your favorite gravy.
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Parsnip Mash with Pesto

6 parsnips
2 medium russet potatoes
1 cup sour cream
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup half and half
2 cloves roasted garlic
Salt and cracked black pepper
3/4 cup prepared pesto (I used my Dairy-Free Pesto)

Peel parsnips and potatoes and cut into equal-sized pieces. Place cut pieces into a large pan and cover with water. Add about a teaspoon of salt.

Turn heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-high and cook until vegetables are soft, about 18 minutes.

Drain water off of vegetables. Add, butter, sour cream and roasted garlic. Mash with a potato masher until broken up. Add half and half, just a couple of tablespoons at a time, and continue mixing until desired consistency is reached. Stir in salt and pepper to taste.

Place in serving bowl and swirl pesto into the parsnip mash. Serve.

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