Kacey Tess

Mayo-Free Tuna Salad

Ingredient List:

Your favorite bread (I used the flax seed bread from my previous post)

2 cans white albacore tuna drained

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar (I used a lemon white balsamic)

2 tbsp mustard

1/2 C chopped pickles

**Optional**1 tsp red pepper flake

Method:

Combine tuna, oil, vinegar, mustard, pickles + red pepper if wanted

If mixture is dry add some pickle juice

Put on your favorite bread

Enjoy!

Print Recipe

Low Carb Bread

Ingredient List:

2 C milled golden flax seed

2 tbsp whole flax seeds

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp sea salt

2 tbsp honey or agave

5 eggs lightly beaten

1/2 C warm water

1/3 C oil

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 350

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper sprayed with non stick spray

In a large mixing bowl combine flax seed meal, flax seeds, baking powder and salt

In a medium bowl combine beaten eggs, honey or agave, water and oil

With a whisk mix wet ingredients slowly into dry ingredients

Let thicken for a few minutes

Pour onto greased baking sheet

Bake for 25 minutes until slightly browning on edges

Enjoy!

(I topped mine with smashed avocado, sea salt + pepper)

Print Recipe

Tuna Wrap

Ingredient List:

2 tuna steaks

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp honey

2 tbsp olive oil

1/4 sesame seeds ( I used toasted sesame seeds and black sesame seeds)

1 tsp black pepper

1 tbsp coarse sea salt

6 large lettuce pieces

1 avocado diced

10 cherry tomatoes halved

Method:

In a small bowl combine soy sauce, honey and olive oil

Combine sesame seeds, pepper and salt

Dip each tuna steak in sauce (make sure every side has the soy sauce mixture to ensure the sesame seeds stick)

Dip each tuna steak in the sesame seed mixture

Cook tuna on your griddle until browned on each side (about 2 minutes)

Let rest for a few minutes while you prepare all veggies

Cut tuna into 1/4” pieces

Construct your wrap

Enjoy!

Serves 2

Print Recipe

1 jalapeno sliced

French Toast with Cranberry Butter

Ingredient List:

12 slices of your favorite crusty bread ( I used sourdough)

4 jumbo eggs

1/4 C almond milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 C fresh cranberries

4 tbsp unsalted room temp butter

1/4 C maple syrup (more or less, do to your liking)

Method:

Grease large skillet or dutch oven

Place cranberries with a small amount of water in microwave safe bowl and cook for 2 minutes in microwave until soft and set aside

Whisk eggs, milk + vanilla

Dip bread in mixture and cook over medium heat until golden brown on each side (2-3 minutes per side)

While cooking combine cranberries, butter and 1/2 maple syrup in a bowl

Taste, add more maple syrup if wanted

Serve on french toast immediately

Enjoy!

Serves 4

Print Recipe

Meringue Bones

Ingredient list:

4 large egg whites

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

1 C sugar

1 tbsp lemon juice

Method:

Prepare 2 baking sheets with wax paper

Pre-heat oven to 200

Best egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks start forming

Add sugar in 1 tbsp at a time until fully incorporated

Beat until stiff peaks are formed

Transfer into a zip lock or piping bag

Full bag with meringue

Pipe meringue in bone shapes: start by making an S shape and then a backwards S

Bake at 200 for 1 hour

Remove from oven and transfer them to a cooling rack

Let cool completely

Enjoy!

(Optional) combine 1 pint raspberries, 1 tbsp sugar and 1/4 C water in a small sauce pan

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook until thick

Baked Stomboli

Baked Stromboli

Ingredient List:

1 roll refrigerated whole wheat pizza dough

3 tomatoes ( I used celebrity tomatoes from my garden)

10 large pitted olives ( I used a mix of kalamata and green olives)

2 tbsp olive juice from jar

1 C fresh spinach

1 small package of sliced baby bella mushrooms

1 jalapeño sliced (deveined and seeded)

1 Red bell pepper sliced

10 slices of provolone cheese

Olive oil (to brush bread with)

Sea salt

Dried Thyme

Method:

Prepare and line baking sheet

Spray with non-stick spray

In a food processor mix tomatoes, olives and juice

On the baking sheet roll out the pizza dough

In the center of the dough spoon on the tomato-olive mixture, leaving a 2” border that will be folded over

Add spinach, mushrooms, jalapeno, bell pepper, and provolone cheese

Fold edges over so no cheese is showing (mine was not pretty, but that is okay!)

Brush with olive oil or spray olive oil

Sprinkle top with sea salt and thyme

Bake for 30-35 minutes until dough is browning and cooked all the way through. If dough is browning too quickly cover with foil

Enjoy!

Serves 4

Jalapeño stuffed mushrooms

Ingredient list:

6 small portobello mushrooms, stems removed, chopped and set aside

1 tbsp olive oil

1 bunch green onions sliced thinly

2 jalapeño’s chopped (de-veined and seeded)

1 clove garlic minced

1/4 c whole wheat panko

1 tbs cream cheese

1/4 c shredded cheddar cheese

Sea salt
Method:

Pre heat oven to 350

Line a baking sheet and grease

Sauté mushrooms, onions and oil in a large skillet

Season with salt

Stir in cream cheese, panko, jalapeño and cheddar cheese

Place mushroom tops on baking sheet, spray with oil and sprinkle with salt

Bake for 5 minutes, remove, fill with cream cheese mixture and place back in oven for 25 minutes or until browning

Enjoy!

Grilled White Asparagus

Ingredient List:

1 bunch white asparagus cleaned and tough bottom of stem removed

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 tbsp rosemary chopped finely

Method:

Heat grill to medium

Toss aparagus, oil + seasonings in a medium bowl

Grill asparagus for about 6 minutes, turning half way through

Grill for an additional 1-2 minutes if you prefer soft asparagus (I like mine crisp!)

Remove from grill

Sprinkle with additional sea salt if wanted

Enjoy!

The minute my husband and I saw this house we knew we wanted it. We tried to talk ourselves out of it and look at other homes but we kept coming back to it. We knew just how much work it would be and we were not sure we wanted to take that on. We both work full time so all of the work would have to be done on weekends and after work but we decided to get it anyways!

The part of the house that needed the most work was the kitchen. It looked like something out of the flinstones. Black and orange concrete countertops, dark slate everything, zig-zag cabinets and flooring that i don’t even know how to explain.

First we started by tearing everything out. I mean EVERYTHING! Once we got started we realized there was termite damage along with water damage. My husband had to work through the night to replace all the wood beams in our kitchen.

Once he got that done, the next week came cabinets. He was fortunate and knew someone who did cabinets. We had our cabinets custom built at Barlow’s. I’m so happy we decided against box cabinets from a chain store. Slow close, dovetail, shaker style-painted white maple are what we went with. Barlow’s did such an amazing job, I could not be happier. We knocked down the gally style kitchen, made a walk way and added an island. I even got a spice drawer to the side of my cooktop, it’s so handy! We had them build a wine rack above the microwave and vertical shelves above the fridge. There is a cabinet for everything.

We decided to go with stainless appliances and of course I had fun picking them all out! I am so happy I went with a double oven, it helps so much to set two different temperatures. The slide in range is something I really love also, a lot less bulky and more sleek than a traditional range. We found all of our appliances at RC Willey.

Next we decided to do an apron sink. It is so nice having such a big sink with an industrial faucet. It makes cleaning dishes so much quicker and I’m able to fit very large serving dishes right in the sink. Because we had white cabinets we thought stainless steel would be a nice accent. We found our sink and our facuet, both made by Kraus, on Amazon. I love retro anything, so when my husband found the white, round light at Home Depot I was so happy. We also found our backsplash tile at home depot and put it in ourselves (really I justed handed my husband things while he did all the work).

We decided on a white quartzite with a lot of crystalization. Our countertops are probably my favorite part of our kitchen. Photos do not really do them justice, they are much prettier in person. You do have to be very careful with them and treat them about the same as marble. Although natural stone is harder to maintain, I’m really happy we went with it.

Now it was time finishing touches.

I love my Shun knife from Williams + Sonoma and my cutting boards I found on wayfair.com. I have two cutting boards, one for fish and one for veggies and everything else.

I love taking photos of food on clean white dishes. I found mine at Ikea.

This is only a fraction of the plates I own. I seem to collect them and hardly ever in fours. I usually only buy one or two at a time from Ikea, West Elm, and Downeast Outfitters.

You can never have too many bowls! I found my wooden bowls at Big Lots for $12 a piece and they are such great quality. I have had them for years.

We have a glass for any kind of drink you could ever want! I ordered these from amazon and Ikea also has great deals on good quality glasses.

I have a thing for measuring cups, I can never have too many. These are my favorite measuring cups ever and I think they always will be. My mom bought these and matching measuring spoons for me from Anthroplogie a few years ago.

There is nothing better to me than listening to music while cooking. My Sonos is so great for that.

I keep whole wheat four, unbleached white flour, sugar, flax seed and flax seed meal in these canisters I found at Target.

My boss and his wife (I have a feeling mostly his wife) gave us the cutest tea cups as a house warming gift. My favorite tea cups, they are just too pretty for every day use. I have them on display on a shelf in our kitchen.

I had no idea that going into a nursery one day I would find the cutest kitchen accessories too! Sun River Gardens in Orem, UT has a great supply of all things kitchen.

My husband found these hammered copper canisters on Amazon this year for my birthday. I filled one with a decorative whisk and serving spoons + forks from Anthropologie.