3 Real Food Home-Cooked Meal Recipes For Your Best Healthy Life

3 Real Food Home Cooked Recipes

We’ve written many times about the idea of choosing and practicing 3 real food home-cooked meal recipes until you are able to cook them skillfully. This is a simple and stress-free way to learn how to cook real food in your own kitchen. Today we are sharing 3 of our favourite recipes with you. 

When you’re getting started with home cooking, finding recipes is easy and today we are including 3 for you to use in your new home cooking practice. We have included a recipe for Lemon-Pepper Baked Chicken Wings, Easy Spicy Roasted Cauliflower and Marinated Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce. Enjoy and be sure to let us know your comments below. 

Lemon-Pepper Baked Chicken Wings

These spicy baked chicken wings are perfect for game day or anytime you need to whip up a casual, yet delicious, appetizer. 

Making your own homemade flavoured seasonings is easy. However, finding the perfect balance of flavours is more of an art than a science, because individual tastes vary so widely. 

The proportions shared here offer a safe starting point. The whole black peppercorns impart a BOLD flavour to this seasoning, so it’s best to start with a small amount and adjust upwards until you find the level of heat you prefer. Once you do, you can create larger batches of this seasoning and store the remaining amounts in an airtight container for several months.

Prep time: 50 minutes (includes drying time for zest which can be done in advance)
Cook time: 50 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients:

Lemon-Pepper Seasoning:

4-5 large organic lemons, zested
1 T. kosher salt
1 t. black peppercorns, crushed 

Chicken Wings:

4 lbs. chicken wings, tips removed and patted dry
3 T. extra virgin olive oil 

Directions:

Position oven rack to center position and preheat oven to warm (lowest setting). 

Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside. 

To prepare the lemon-pepper seasoning, wash the lemons and pat dry. Remove zest from each lemon with a microplane. While doing so, collect as much of the flavorful yellow outer layer as possible, while avoiding the more bitter white layer below. 

Spread the zest in a thin layer on the parchment paper and place in the oven. After 20 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and shake to make sure the zest is drying evenly. Return to oven until thoroughly dried, approximately 25-30 minutes. 

Remove dried lemon zest from the oven and increase oven temperature to 425°F.

Add dried lemon zest to a spice grinder or food processor along with salt and black peppercorns. Grind ingredients until desired consistency is reached. Taste and adjust the ratio of salt and pepper as desired. 

In a large bowl, combine chicken wings with olive oil and 1 - 2 tablespoons of lemon-pepper seasoning and toss until evenly coated. 

Arrange seasoned chicken wings in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Do not overcrowd. Place baking sheet on center rack of the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. 

Remove baking sheet from oven and turn each wing to ensure they cook evenly on all sides. Return to oven and bake for another 20-25 minutes, or until wings are browned and crispy. 

Remove from oven and serve immediately with sliced celery and blue cheese or ranch dressing, if desired. 

Easy Spicy Roasted Cauliflower

This is a perfect side dish for a quick and easy weeknight meal. Just toss it all together and pop it in the oven for a flavorful, low-carb side that pairs well with everything from poultry to beef and pork roasts. 

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 25-27 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 large head cauliflower, rinsed, dried, and separated into florets
3 T. extra virgin olive oil
2 - 3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
2 t. crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
½ c. Parmesan cheese, freshly grated, divided

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450˚F and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Add cauliflower florets, olive oil, minced garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes to a large bowl and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Spread seasoned cauliflower on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Roast for 20-25 minutes at 450˚F, stirring once to ensure cauliflower cooks evenly. 

Remove from oven and set the broiler to high. Evenly sprinkle cauliflower with ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese and place under the broiler until golden brown (approximately 2 minutes).

Remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese and serve immediately. 

Marinated Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce

Chimichurri is a classic sauce from Argentina traditionally served with different types of grilled meat. For the best flavour, prepare the Chimichurri sauce and marinate the flank steaks the night before. You’ll be glad you did! 

Prep time: 10 minutes + time to marinate 
Cook time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4
 
Chimichurri Sauce

 ½ c. extra virgin olive oil 
1/3 c. red wine vinegar 
1 c. fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/3 c. fresh cilantro 
2 cloves fresh garlic, peeled
¾ t. crushed red pepper flakes
3 T. fresh lemon juice
1 t. ground cumin
Salt and pepper, to taste
Remaining Ingredients

¼ c. extra virgin olive oil
3 T. fresh lime juice
2 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste 

1½ lbs. flank steak, sliced into thin strips
1 T. extra virgin olive oil 
 
Directions

Combine the olive oil, vinegar, parsley, cilantro, garlic, red pepper flakes, lemon juice, and cumin in a food processor and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and set aside. 

In a small glass bowl, combine the olive oil, lime juice, and chopped garlic with a fork. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Place the flank steak in a large, sealable plastic bag and add the olive oil mixture. Tightly seal the bag and turn a couple of times to coat the steak in the marinade. Place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to overnight. 

To prepare, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove the steak from the marinade and allow excess to drip off before adding to the hot skillet. Cook the steak for 3-4 minutes, then turn and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes for medium-rare results. Adjust cooking times to reach the desired level of doneness. 

Remove from heat and transfer steak to a cutting surface. Let rest for 5 minutes before cutting into very thin slices against the grain. To serve, drizzle steak with some Chimichurri sauce and pass the remaining sauce for those who prefer a little more. Enjoy! 

Share your ideas, questions and comments below. 

Please leave your comments below and share this post with your family and friends if you found value here today.

Be sure to get in touch to let us know how we can help you.

Join our Free Walking Challenge here  

For Your Best Healthy Life Resources

If you are looking for a cookbook resource we recommend The Fat Burning Kitchen - Your 24-Hour Diet Transformation to Make Your Body a Fat-Burning Machine -  Why to STOP eating whole wheat bread, vegetable oils, energy bars, or cereals - https://bit.ly/2RzknZP (our affiliate link - now you do not pay more ordering from our link, it simply helps us with a commission that supports our work here)

Introducing Essential Vibes - ELEVATE YOUR VIBRATION TRANSFORM THE WORLD TOGETHER - Essential Vibes is a movement of world-changers, raising their vibration and restoring the planet. ELEVATE YOUR TECHNOLOGY - EMF Protection using Earth Frequency - Unique EMF Protection technology created by infusing the Earth Frequency into jewellery.  

Introducing Qi Mushrooms - EXPERIENCE BETTER HEALTH AND WELLNESS - Scientifically-proven medicinal mushroom extracts for immune, cognitive, mood, and overall vitality support.  

Turbulence Training Special Offer - But if you take advantage of this opportunity to ditch your cardio and finally start losing weight today, you can receive access for more than HALF OFF, just $27. (Affiliate link - https://bit.ly/3fZeQUk)

Personal Care Products & Healthy Home Products go here https://bit.ly/3upNqxB 

Learn more about our Holistic Lifestyle Coaching here

Learn more about us here 

---