These simply delicious shrimp skews have been something my Dad has made with pasta for years. I personally like the BBQ myself so I decided to take the tradition outdoors.
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Grilled Shrimp Skewers
whole30
Prosciutto Shrimp
I really wanted to make bacon wrapped shrimp but since it took 2 weeks into my Whole30 program to find approved bacon I just decided to go the safe route and use prosciutto.
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Roasted Butternut Squash
I love butternut squash. Squash can be challenging to cut so I don’t mind spending the extra dollar to buy them pre-cut at Trader Joes. It makes a wonderful side dish and pairs very well with pork, chicken, & turkey….
Rosemary Turkey Sausage Links
ROSEMARY TURKEY SAUSAGE LINKS
- 1/2 pound ground turkey
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, or 1/2 dry
- 1/2 teaspoon dry sage
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt & pepper
1. Mix the ground turkey with the 5 following spices well by hand.
2. Roll about 2 tablespoons of the sausage mix into links by hand.
3. On a lightly oiled cast iron skillet or non-stick pan, brown all sides.
4. When all sides are brown bring sausages toward the center of the skillet & slightly cover to fully cook through about 3-4 minutes.
Plate Finished Product
STORY BEHIND THE DISH
I am not much of a breakfast person but I do like sausage links & bacon of course. So I decided to create a healthier version of my Dad’s breakfast links.
MODIFICATIONS/Whole30
This is whole30 & paleo approved but the recipe can be modified to your palate. If you like spicy you can add some red pepper flakes to this dish. You can serve these with eggs & sweet potato hash.
Winter Squash Breakfast Hash
WINTER SQUASH BREAKFAST HASH
- 1/2 pound ground turkey
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, or 1/2 dry
- 1/2 teaspoon dry sage
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt & pepper
- 1 cup butternut squash, diced
- 1/2 medium onion, diced
- 1 apple, diced
- 1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely diced
1. Coat squash with a little olive oil & sprinkle with salt. Bake in a foil lined pan for 30 minutes at 400 degrees.
2. In a bowl mix together ground turkey & the 5 following spices until they are well combined.
3. In a oiled non stick pan or on a flat grill pan brown turkey sausage meat until fully cooked. 2-3 minutes on each side. As it cooks use a spatula to break down the meat into pieces.
4. Dice onions, apples, & bell peppers.
5. In a lightly oiled non stick skillet saute the onions & bell pepper for 2-3 minutes. Then add the apples & continue to saute for about 5 minutes or until the apples start getting soft.
6. Add the turkey sausage & combine all the ingredients.
7. When squash is done, add the squash to the pan & mix everything together.
Plate Finished Product
Serve as a side or top with a eggs
STORY BEHIND THE DISH
I watched this recipe being made on an episode of Diner’s Drive-ins & Dives at the Darby’s Cafe. Thought it was a good combo & wanted to try to recreate it. I used a few different ingredients & did not top this with a cranberry compote like they did, but I thought it turned out great!
MODIFICATIONS/Whole30
This is whole30 & paleo approved but the recipe can be modified to your palate. If you like spicy you can add some red pepper flakes to this dish. I liked it just as a breakfast itself but you can top it with some eggs. It has a slight Thanksgiving Stuffing taste to it, so you can even use this as a dinner side as well.
Lemon Garlic Grilled Shrimp
LEMON GARLIC GRILLED SHRIMP
1 lb raw shrimp, tail on & deveined
- 1 Tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
- 3-4 basil or parsley leaves, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon mustard powder
- 2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
- salt & pepper to taste
- 8-10 wooden skewers, soaked
1. In a medium bowl whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic,
mustard powder, red pepper flakes, & herbs.
2. Add Shrimp & coat evenly with mixture. Top with lemon zest, salt, & pepper.
Place in the fridge & let marinate for 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
3. Using a small dish & a fork or a mortar & pestle, combine some lemon zest,
herbs, garlic, & red pepper flakes.
4. Top with olive oil a table spoon extra virgin olive oil & set aside while flavors marry.
5. Make sure you have soaked the skewers in water 20-30 minutes to prevent burning while cooking. Add shrimp to the skewers from head to tail in a C-shape, 4-5 shrimp should fit on one skewer.
6. Grill shrimp over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes on each side. Once he tails turn bright orange you can flip them to the other side.
7. Drizzle herb-oil mixture over the shrimp & serve with a lemon wedge.
Plate Finished Product
STORY BEHIND THE DISH
I love BBQ Shrimp & the best part is to cooks so fast & has great flavor. I normally make a similar shrimp with pasta, but since I am doing Whole30 this month I thought I would throw these on the grill just in time for a new summer recipe.
MODIFICATIONS/Whole30
This is whole30 & paleo approved but the recipe can be modified to your palate. If you do not like spicy or are avoiding nightshades spices, remove the pepper flakes. If you like spicy you could always add more pepper flakes. If you would like to use melted ghee or butter instead of olive oil that works as well. I would still use the olive oil for the herb-oil cause it does pull nice flavor. You can also grill these on an indoor grill pan or even a non stick pan without the skewers.
Strawberry, Watermelon, & Lime Cooler
STRAWBERRY, WATERMELON, & LIME COOLER
- 2 cup watermelon cubes, frozen
- 3-4 strawberries, sliced
- 1/2 lime, juiced
- 1/4 cup water or coconut water
1. Place watermelon, strawberry, lime, & water in a blender.
2. Blend on high until mixture is smooth. If you want the texture thin, add more water, if you want it thicker, add some crushed ice & blend more.
Pour Final Product
STORY BEHIND THE DISH
Living alone I could never finish a whole watermelon so I would always cut & freeze pieces for smoothies. Now that I am on Whole30 I figured it would be a great time bring these back for the summer.
MODIFICATIONS/Whole30
This recipe can be modified in so many ways. You can add a bit of honey for sweetness. If you don’t like strawberries you can use pineapple, apple, mango, just watermelon, etc.
Herb & Oil Tilapia
HERB & OIL TILAPIA
- 2 – 4 Tilapia or dover sole fillets
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 5-10 basil leaves
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 3-4 carrots, peeled & sliced
- 2 small zucchini, sliced
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- Salt & Pepper
1. Crush herbs with 1/2 teaspoon of salt & pepper, in a mortar or using a fork in a small dish. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the crushed herbs & set aside for later.
2. Coat the top side of each fillet evenly with salt, pepper, & paprika.
3. Heat olive oil on medium-high in a large nonstick pan. When oil is hot, but not producing smoke, add the fish. Brown both sides of the filet, cooking through is not needed here.
4. Remove fish from pan & lay on a baking sheet lined with foil. Place in the oven at 350 degrees to cook through & stay warm until veggies are done.
5. Wash & clean out the oil from the pan & place back on the stove. Add olive oil to the pan to saute the veggies. When oil is warm add garlic, zucchini, & carrots, sear both sides. Season with salt & pepper. Toss veggies every minute or so until they are fully cooked.
6. Plate the veggies & lay fish on top, then drizzle the herb oil over the dish.
Plate Finished Product
STORY BEHIND THE DISH
I have never been a big fan of tilapia or sole because of its lack of flavor. This is a very flavorful light dish & that has many modification options. This is a recreation of a dish I found on Food52
MODIFICATIONS/Whole30
This recipe is already Whole30/Paleo compliant. You can you any veggie you like as the base. Also, you can dredge the fish in coconut or almond flour for a more crispy fried fish.
Santa Maria Style Tri-Tip
SANTA MARIA STYLE TRI-TIP
- 1 Tri-tip (2-4 lbs)
Dry Rub (for up to a 4 lb tri-tip)
- 1 Tablespoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon pepper
- 1 Tablespoon onion powder
- 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
- 1 teaspoon fresh or dry rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh or dry oregano, sage, or thyme. (I used oregano)
1. Finely chop all fresh herbs & mix all ingredients in a small bowl.
2. Place tri-tip in a deep dish & coat meat evenly with dry rub mix. Cover dish with foil & let the tri-tip rest at room temperature for 45-60 minutes.
3. Lightly oil BBQ grates, then turn BBQ on medium high heat for a few minutes. When grill is ready place tri-tip at a 45 degree angle & allow the roast to sit for 2-3 minutes or until nice grill marks form, turn tri-tip & do the same of the other side. When grill marks are set, set BBQ to medium-low heat, move tri-tip over so it is not directly over flames. Cook for 30-35 minutes or until tri-tip reaches your desired doneness.
**Grill Tip** make sure to watch tri-tip very closely during this time as the fat from this roast can fall into the flame & cause major flames or a grease fire. Cook with caution!
4. When done, place tri-tip on a plate or cutting board, cover with foil & let rest for 5-7 minutes to allow juiced to collect. Cut tri-tip in 1/4 inch slices at an angle.
Plate Finished Product
STORY BEHIND THE DISH
I love tri-tip & I love to grill so this dish is the best of both worlds. I used a modification of a Santa Maria Tri-tip recipe I received from a friends BBQ. This is a perfect summer BBQ dish & pairs well with many of the side on my blog.
MODIFICATIONS/Whole30
This recipe does not need any modifications to be whole30/Paleo compliant. I was 100% satisfied with the final product. If you want more of a kick you can add some red pepper flakes or more cayenne pepper.
Butternut Squash & Couscous Salad
- 2 Cups couscous or quinoa, cooked
- 1 Butternut squash, peeled & diced
- 3/4 Cup baby spinach
- 1/4 Cup pine nuts, toasted
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon rind
- Salt & Pepper
1. To dice butternut squash remove skin & cut into small-medium cubes.
2. Toss squash with 1 tablespoon olive oil & a dust of salt. Spread the squash evenly on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake on the top rack at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until it’s soft. If quinoa is not precooked follow the directions & cook it while squash is cooking.
3. In small bowl whisk the dressing: lemon juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, honey, lemon rind, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon mix of salt, & pepper.
5. In a large add spinach & when squash & couscous are ready, add them while warm into the spinach mixture & slowly toss to gently wilt the spinach. Slowly add dressing into the salad & toss till the mixture is evenly coated
Plate Finished Product
STORY BEHIND THE DISH
Roasted butternut squash has become one of my new favorite side dishes. It is full of flavor & has a wonderful texture when baked. This dish was created with some leftover couscous I had from a previous meal. It turned out to be the star of dinner.
MODIFICATIONS/Whole30
This recipe can be modified to your food needs. If you want to make this a Paleo approved, Whole30, or Gluten Free dish, you can replace the couscous with cauliflower rice & for whole30 remove the honey. I also love quinoa so that is another replacement option but not whole30 approved. Other great additions to this dish would be slivered almonds or some dried currants or cranberries.