Shrimp Pad Thai with Spaghetti Squash

This homemade Pad Thai with spicy shrimp, spaghetti squash, peanuts and cilantro for a low carb dish you will prepare again and again. It’s super easy to make, the entire dish can be ready in 15 minutes flat.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large Spaghetti Squash
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 lb. Shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 pint mushrooms, sliced
• 2 Eggs Beaten
• 3 Cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 Tablespoons Peanut butter
• 2 Tablespoons Rice vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce or Coconut Aminos
• 1 Tablespoon Sriracha
• 1 TablespoonSesame seed oil
• 1 Cup Bean Sprouts
• ½ Cup Dry Roasted Peanuts
• Juice of 2 limes
• ½ Cup Chopped fresh cilantro

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 

Cut squash in half and remove membrane and seeds. Then brush both sides with olive oil, inside and out. Bake on a foil lined baking sheet until tender (45 minutes) with the cut side down.

Once cooked, remove from the oven allow the squash to cool upright for 10 minutes. Using a fork, rake the inside of the squash and move the spaghetti to a bowl.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add in the shrimp and cook on each side until pink and no longer translucent.  Remove from the pan.

Add the onions to the pan and saute, about 3-5 minutes.  Push the onion to one side and add the mushrooms, saute until cooked. Mix the onion and mushrooms together, season with salt and pepper. Make well in between the vegetables, add the beaten egg.  Scramble the egg with a spatula, then combine with the vegetables.

Add in the garlic, peanut butter, rice vinegar, soy sauce,sesame oil and Sriracha.  Stir until all combined and scrape any browned bits or egg from the bottom of the skillet.

Add in the cooked spaghetti squash, peanuts, and lime juice.  Toss with tongs until combined.  Top with the cilantro and shrimp and serve.

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Thai Roasted Brussel Sprouts & Butternut Squash

Perfectly crispy Brussel sprouts & butternut squash tossed with delicious Thai inspired flavors!

Add a little Thai flavour to your holiday table with this delicious veggie side dish recipe! 

This is Brussel sprouts and Butternut squash like you’ve never had before. They are tossed with a spicy, garlicky, Thai dressing then roasted in the oven until perfectly al dente. Guaranteed to brighten up your holiday dinner table!

Serve along side my Roasted Red Chili Turkey thighs!

Ingredients 

• 1 bushel of brussel sprouts
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• Butternut squash, cubed 
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon roasted red chili paste 
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar 
• Salt & pepper 
• Cilantro, for garnish 
• Lime wedges for garnish 

Instructions 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 

Line a baking sheet with foil. 

In a large bowl, toss all ingredients together except the cilantro and limes. 

Pour onto the lined baking sheet.

Bake for 30 minutes until the veggies are crispy.

Sprinkle with cilantro and limes wedges

PAN FRIED WHITEFISH WITH ARTICHOKES, OLIVES, AND CHERRY TOMATOES

It’s almost summer and what goes with summer. FISH, well at least here in Florida! Light and flavorful pan fried fish always reminds me of summer. 

The sauce is what defines this recipe. Prepare the sauce first and allow it to simmer as you pan fry the fish. And, if you don’t like Black olives or even artichokes, no worries leave them out. Just add one tablespoon sea salt and ¼ cup lemon juice!

A tip, I have learned along the way is to add the SALT later in the dish. So you will notice salt is not on the ingredients list. The artichokes and olives give this dish enough salt, but if you feel you need salt, taste and add a pinch as needed. 

Scout and Cellar Sauvginon Blanc is the perfect pairing for this recipe! Oh and GO BUCS! Definitely need a Bucs wine glass for this dish! LOL

INGREDIENTS

• 4 grouper filets
• 1 white onion, thinly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• I can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 1 can (6 ounces) Large Black Olives
• 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
• 1 tablespoon ground Black Pepper
• 1 cup chicken broth
• ¼ cup Dry White Wine
• 1 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter
• 4 Tablespoons Finely Chopped Parsley Leaves, for garnish
• Parmesan Cheese, for garnish
• DON’T LIKE OLIVES OR ARTICHOKES:
• 1 tablespoon sea salt 
• ¼ cup lemon juice!

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat the olive in a heavy skillet until lightly smoking, then add the onions, sautei for 1 to 2 minutes. 

Add the garlic, Italian seasoning and pepper, stirring to combine. Saute for 2-5 minutes until fragrant. 

Add the chopped artichokes and whole cherry tomatoes. Slowly add the chicken broth and stir. 

Place lid on for 5 minutes, liquid to reduce. 

Once liquid is reduced, add the white wine, stir and place the lid back on. Tomatoes should start to burst. 

Add the olives and stir to mix. Place the lid back on and cook for 5- 1 minutes. 

Add butter, stir and melt on low heat. 

Heat a separate pan, add a drizzle of olive, then add the fillets to the pan. Cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes on each side. 

Place the filets  in the tomato mixture pan and cover with the sauce, cook for 2-4 minutes. 

Serve the fillets topped with the tomato mixture, sprinkled with parmesan cheese and parsley. 

You can serve this on its own or with a side of cauliflower rice/white rice. 

www.scoutandcellar.com/whiskawaykitchen

NUTELLA SWIRLED BANANA BREAD

Nutella Swirled Banana Bread is the ultimate banana bread recipe. It is extremely easy and moist with swirls of nutella spread throughout. It’s perfect at breakfast served with your morning coffee or for dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. 

The best bananas for this recipe are ones that are over-ripe. The peels should be at least half brown and easy to remove. The insides should be squishy and browning. I find myself buying bananas and never eating all of them so this recipe is a great way to save the bananas and my wallet. 

There is no need for a mixer. You can mix everything together in one large  bowl. The first step is to mash the bananas in a large mixing bowl! I use the back of the spoon or you can use a potato masher. Then, I just throw everything else into the same bowl and mix it together. I told you it was easy!

Preheat your oven to 350°F and lightly grease and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan. Grab your Nutella jar and microwave it for 10-20 seconds. Pour half of the banana batter into the loaf pan, and drizzle two spoonfuls of the warm Nutella over the banana batter. Add the rest of banana batter and repeat with the drizzle of warm Nutella. To achieve the marble look, take a knife and swirl it through the loaf pan.Bake in your pre-heated oven for 30-40 minutes until golden on top and a knife or toothpick comes out clean.

Leave to cool in the loaf pan and serve in slices. I like to cut mine into thick slices but that is totally up to you! 

ENJOY!!!

Ingredients

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 4 overripe bananas, mashed (about 1-1/2 cups)
• 1 cup Nutella

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F
2. Lightly grease and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork. Add the sugar, butter, egg & vanilla extract and mix until combined.
4. Gradually add the flour and baking soda, mixing until all combined.
5. Pour half the batter into your pre-lined loaf pan and smooth into the corners.
6. Warm your Nutella in the microwave for about 10-20 second to soften it slightly. 
7. Drizzle a couple of spoonfuls over the batter in the loaf pan before adding the remaining batter on top.
8. Drizzle the remaining Nutella to the top of your loaf before stirring the batter with a knife to create the marbled effect.
9. Bake in your pre-heated oven for 40 minutes until golden on top. 
10. Leave to cool in the loaf pan and serve in slices.

Jerk-spiced Chicken with Roasted Sweet Plantain Salad and Mango Chutney Yogurt

Ever since I was a little girl, I have loved going to Disney World. It is definitely my happy place!

I have so many amazing memories, from camping at Fort Wilderness to birthday celebrations at Epcot’s Food & Wine festival. 

Epcot is my favorite park to visit especially when they are hosting one of their festivals; Food & Wine Festival, Art Festival or the Flower & Garden Festival. 

Epcot’s festivals combine my love for Disney, food and wine. Honestly, what could be better than hopping around the World Showcase and sampling new foods, drinks and rubbing elbows with Disney fans? 

Brian and I always enter Epcot, in the back by the United Kingdom. We have a beer at the Rose and Crown while I flip through the festival’s passport, which contains the menus for each World Showcase Booth and a sticker to use to mark off that you have visited. Yes, I am a complete passport geek, every time we stop at a World Showcase booth, I have to check off the foods and drinks we have tried. 

So when I saw Disney had a cookbook with recipes from all their festivals including the festivals at Disneyland, I couldn’t resist. I had to have it. 

After purchasing the cookbook, Brian and I took a margarita break in Mexico like we normally do. I’m a huge fan of the Three Caballeros ride and the margaritas in Mexico. As we sipped our margaritas, we looked through the cookbook. I was so excited to see so many of our favorite dishes from the festivals and some new ones I couldn’t wait to make at home! 

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During the Food & Wine festival, we absolutely loved the Jerk-spiced Chicken with Roasted Sweet Plantain Salad and Mango Chutney Yogurt at the Islands of the Caribbean booth. And guess what the recipe was in the cookbook! And here lays the inspiration for the recipe below! 

My parents are retired and love to travel. They recently bought me a Island Jamican Jerk Spice seasoning back from one of their cruise vacations. So this is the Jerk seasoning, I used but you can find a number of different types of Jerk seasonings at your local grocery store. 

In a large ziploc bag, toss chicken, 3 tablespoons of the Jerk seasoning and 1 tablespoon canola oil until chicken is completely coated. Refrigerate for one to two hours, the longer you allow the chicken to marinate the more flavor you will have. After the chicken has marinated, preheat the grill to medium-high heat, and remove chicken from the ziploc bag. Place chicken on grill grates and grill for approximately 10-12 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Rest for 10 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate, cover lightly with foil, and allow them to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Mango Chutney

You can use a store bought Mango chutney or you can make your own. It is simple and turns out delicious. Chutney is made much the same way as you would make a fruit jam, but with vinegar to offset the sweetness, making it more appropriate for savory dishes. This chutney is spicy from ginger, garlic, and red chili pepper flakes. It gets its tangy-ness from the acidity in the mangoes and added vinegar, and it gets its sweetness from the mangoes and sugar. It pairs great with almost anything from his chicken, to a spread on a cheese board.

To make the sugar vinegar syrup, combine sugar and vinegar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add the peeled chopped mangoes, and chopped onion, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Leave the saucepan uncovered and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour until syrupy and slightly thickened. Stir occasionally during cooking.

Mango Chutney Yogurt

Whisk 1 cup plain yogurt and 2 ½ tablespoons of the Mango chutney with chopped cilantro. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Place in the refrigerator until dinner time. 

Sweet Plantain Salad

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and brush a baking sheet with canola oil. 

Your plantains have to be ripe. The best thing to do is buy them a few days before you are going to make this dish. Plantains may look like bananas but they do not peel like one. Ripe plantains are a lot easier to peel. To peel a plantain, you will need to cut off the ends of the plantain, run your knife lengthwise through the skin of the plantain without cutting into the flesh, and finally, use your hands to pull the skin off. If some of the skin doesn’t peel off, use a vegetable peeler to remove the “stuck” skin. Place your peeled whole plantains on the prepared baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes, then flip and roast for an additional 15 minutes. After a total of 25-30 minutes, plantains should be lightly golden brown and soft. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature. Cut into bite-size chunks. 

While the plantains are roasting, prepare the rest of the salad. In a small bowl, combine Apple Cider Vinegar and chopped garlic, whisk together. Slowly add the canola oil, whisking as you add it to the bowl. Chop your red onion, peppers, cilantro and place into a large bowl with the plantain chunks. Pour the dressing over the top and toss until everything is well combined. Refrigerate while you prepare the rest of the meal. 

Once everything is done, it’s time to plate it up! In true Epcot fashion, take a scoop of the Sweet Plantain Salad and place it in the middle of a plate. Lay the grilled chicken on top and serve with a dollop of the Mango Chutney Yogurt. I also drizzled some of the Mango chutney over the top of the chicken and sprinkled chopped cilantro on top. 

During the Stay at Home Order, I have definitely been missing trips to Epcot but this meal made me feel like I was taking a trip around the World Showcase. 

This is a great recipe to make for a summer cookout yet it’s easy enough for a weeknight dinner. Trust me, you will love it!

INGREDIENTS

Jerk Chicken

• 4 Chicken thighs and 4 Chicken drumsticks or 8 Chicken Breast
• 3 tablespoons of your favorite Jerk Spice
• 1 tablespoon canola oil

Sweet Plantain Salad

• 3 medium or 2 very large ripe plantains (they should have some black spots and be slightly soft) 
• ¼ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup canola oil, plus more for roasting the plantains
• ½ cup red onion, diced
• ½ cup red pepper, diced
• 1 tablespoon Jalapeno, chopped (optional)
• 4 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

Mango Chutney, or you can buy the jar stuff

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup distilled white vinegar
• 4 cups mangoes (2 to 3), peeled and cut in 3/4-inch pieces 
• 1 medium sweet onion, chopped 
• ½ tablespoon ginger
• 2 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes 

Mango Chutney Yogurt

• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 2 ½ tablespoons Mango chutney
• 2 ½ tablespoon cilantro, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Jerk Chicken Instructions

• Toss chicken, jerk seasoning and canola oil in a large ziploc bag, until chicken is coated. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours. 
• Remove chicken from the refrigerator and let sit for 10 minutes at room temperature before grilling. 
• Preheat the grill to medium- high heat. 
• Remove chicken from the jerk marinade and place on a medium to high lightly oil grill. 
• Grill chicken for approximately 10-12 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit. You may also broil, or roast the chicken in a hot oven (425 degrees F).
• Rest for 10 minutes. Remove chicken thighs to a plate or serving tray, cover lightly with foil, and allow them to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Sweet Plantain Salad

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and brush a baking sheet with canola oil. 
• To peel plantains, cut off the ends from both sides. Then cut a long strip down the length of the plantain without piercing the fruit. Remove the fruit from the peel. 
• Place peeled whole plantains on the prepared baking sheet and roast until tender and golden brown on both sides, about 25 to 30 minutes, flipping once halfway through. 
• Combine Apple Cider Vinegar and chopped garlic, whisk together. Slowly add the canola oil, whisking as you add it to the bowl. 
• Chop your red onion, peppers, cilantro and place into a large bowl with the plantain chunks. Pour the dressing over the top and toss until everything is well combined. 
• Refrigerate while you prepare the rest of the meal. 

Mango Chutney, if not using store bought

• Combine sugar and vinegar in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves.
• Add remaining ingredients and simmer, uncovered, until syrupy and slightly thickened, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Stir occasionally during cooking.

Mango Chutney Yogurt

• Stir together yogurt, mango chutney and cilantro. 
• Taste and season with salt and pepper. 
• Refrigerate until ready to serve. 
• Serve Jerk Chicken on top of Sweet Plantain salad with a scoop of Mango Chutney Yogurt and garnish with chopped cilantro. 

Zucchini Taco Boats

Looking for an alternative to your Taco Tuesday?

These Zucchini Taco boats are made with fresh zucchini stuffed with seasoned ground beef, bell peppers, and topped with cheese and salsa. But the filling could literally be anything, from chicken and corn, to meatballs with tomato sauce! 

They are low carb and keto diet friendly. 

Start with 3 or 4 small zucchini. 

I used a small cookie scoop to scoop out the middle of the zucchini, but you can also use a small spoon. I got a little close to the edge on one of them, but don’t worry about it. The meat filling will cover it up. I love using the insides of the zucchini I scooped out to add filler, so place the insides to the side.  

Pour 1/2 cup of your favorite salsa in a baking dish- I used Pace. Lay the boats on top of the salsa and sprinkle each with salt. 

Now it’s time to make the filling.  Heat a pan over medium-heat and cook the meat. You can use any ground meat, I used ground beef.  Once the meat is cooked, transfer to a bowl and set aside. Wipe out the same pan and add a drizzle of EVOO.

Sauté the insides of the zucchini. Make sure to cook it down to reduce the liquid. Then add bell peppers,- any color,  I used red and yellow. Sprinkle it with chili powder, cumin, and salt. Stir together and cook for about two minutes. Add the red onion and garlic. It should start to smell like it’s almost Taco time! 

Continue to cook until vegetables are softened and water has absorbed. Lastly, add the meat back to the pan, and stir together. Once it is combined, it’s time to fill up the boats. Go ahead and fill those babies up- don’t be shy! Let the meat spill over if you need to.

I love cheese and, what’s a taco if it doesn’t have any cheese on it? Cover the filled boats with shredded cheese. I used Cheddar but Monterrey Jack or a Mexican blend would work great, too. 

Place the baking dish in the 400°F preheated oven and cook for 20-25 minutes. 

This recipe  is great if you’re looking for a low-carb option for tacos, or need to get more veggies into your diet. Try them out for Taco Tuesday and enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

• 4 Zucchini
• 1lb Ground Beef
• 1/2 cup Mixed Red & Yellow Bell Peppers, finely diced
• 1/2 cup Red Onion, diced
• 2 Cloves Garlic, minced  
• 1 tablespoon Chili Powder
• 2 teaspoons Cumin 
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 8 ounces Cheddar Cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup Salsa

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 400°F

Prepare your zucchini, cut each zucchini in half lengthwise. Use a measuring spoon (teaspoon) to hollow out the zucchini forming a boat… save the insides and set aside. 

Pour salsa into a baking dish.

Place the zucchini boats in the same baking dish and sprinkle a small amount of salt over them.

In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef. Once cooked, transfer to a bowl. Wipe out the same pan and add a drizzle of EVOO.

Add the inside of the zucchini, water will release. Let it cook down to reduce the liquid, then add bell peppers, chili powder, cumin, and salt. Stir together and cook for about two minutes. Then add the red onion and garlic.

Continue to cook until vegetables are softened and water has absorbed. Add the meat back to the pan, stir together. 

Once combined, fill each zucchini boat with the beef and vegetable mixture.

Top the zucchini boats with cheddar cheese.

Bake for 25 minutes or until zucchini has softened and cheese is melted.

Serve hot! 

Everything Bagel Cloud Eggs

I love when my friends text me pictures of the food they have made! This morning, my friend Adam texted Brian and I a picture of his breakfast and in his words, “Cloud Eggs. Holy ****! Delicious.”

Since I was trying to decide what I should eat for breakfast, I decided to give it a try and Adam was right, DELICIOUS!

Cloud Eggs are egg whites whipped to stiff peaks, seasoning folded in, formed into nests, baked with yolk in the center and covered with shredded cheese. 

All you need are 3 ingredients—egg, seasoning of your choice, and cheese. Per Adam’s recommendation, I used Trader Joe’s Everything But the Bagel seasoning! 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. 

Separate the egg yolks from the whites. Make sure there are no little pieces of egg yolk in the whites or you will have difficulty getting the whites to beat properly. I find it is easiest to crack the whole egg into a bowl and then using your hand, pull the yolk out and place in a separate bowl. 

Place the egg whites in a mixing bowl. Beat the egg whites with a whisk attachment in a mixer (or using a hand mixer), starting on low speed and then slowly increasing to high speed, until stiff peaks form.

Gently fold in the seasoning, making sure not to deflate the peaks. 

Spoon two mounds of the egg white mixture on the lined baking sheet. Form the mounds so they look like nests, using the back of a spoon create an indent in the middle of the mound. Carefully, pour the yolk into the center of the indent and sprinkle shredded cheese on top. 

Bake for 7 minutes. 

INGREDIENTS (per serving)

• ¼ teaspoon seasoning of your choice
• 2 egg whites
• 2 yolks
• 1 tablespoon cheddar cheese, shredded

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
2. Separate egg whites from egg yolks
3. Whips the egg whites until stiff peaks form
4. Gently fold in the seasonings of your choice
5. Spoon one portion of the egg whites onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. 
6. Use the back of the spoon to create an indent in the middle of the egg white “cloud”. 
7. Repeat for additional servings. 
8. Gently place an egg yolk into each egg white “cloud” indentation. 
9. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese. 
10. Bake for 7 minutes.

Please comment, if you tried a different seasoning. The possibilities are endless!