Make your next meal a little lighter with these delicious Butternut Squash Pitas. These pitas make a great addition to your next party, or any simple family dinner.

Ingredients
1 butternut squash
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon chili powder
Kosher salt, to taste
1 tablespoon maple syrup
4 pita breads (6 inch)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
Juice from 1 lime, divided
1–2 drops Lime oil
¼ cup Greek yogurt
2 avocados, sliced

Instructions

1. Split butternut quash vertically and remove seeds.
2. Chopped cilantro and toasted pumpkin seeds for garnish
3. Preheat oven to 400° F. Brush butternut squash halves with olive oil and place flesh side down on a foil-lined baking sheet. Roast until tender, about 45 minutes. 
4. Set aside to let cool slightly, then mash in a bowl with cumin, chili powder, maple syrup, and salt.
5. Toss black beans with the juice of half a lime, a drizzle of olive oil, and a pinch of salt. 
6. Whisk yogurt with other half of lime juice, Lime oil, and a pinch of salt. Add a little water if needed, until it’s a consistency that can be drizzled.
7. Spread butternut squash mixture onto pitas and top with black beans and avocado slices. Drizzle with yogurt mixture and garnish with cilantro and pumpkin seeds.

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Click HERE for the recipe card.

This was a last minute recipe using leftover pork loin from the night before. Plan ahead and have burgers the next time you have leftover pork slices.
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1 lbs ground meat of choice, pork/beef/turkey
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
GLAZE
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 tablespoons grainy mustard
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon honey
2 drops doTERRA Wild Orange Essential Oil
TOPPINGS
​4 slices cheese of choice
4 thick slices of cooked pork loin
1 shallots, finely diced or onion
1/2 jalapeno, finely diced
1/4 cup tomato sauce
French Fried Onions or Crispy Fried Chicken Skins

In a medium size bowl combine the ground meat, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Form the mixture into 4 patties.
Heat grill to high. Oil the grill. (I use oil on a paper towel rub the grates.)
In a medium size bowl whisk together all glaze ingredients.
Spray pan and saute shallots/onions and peppers. Add tomato sauce. Set aside and keep warm.
Brush the pork burgers with prepared glaze. Place on grill and continue basting and turning every 2 minutes or until slightly crisp on exterior. Half way through, start grilling pork slices until they are warmed through, basting as you go. Add cheese to burgers for final 2 minutes of cooking time, and top with grilled pork slices.
Assemble on bun of choice or just on a plate and top with tomato/onion/pepper mixture, then fried onions.

These are soooo good! Just make your regular taco fixings but use jicama instead of a shell.

1 large jicama - (try and get one that is flat but big)
Lemon or Lime oil
Taco Fixings (ground beef with taco seasonings, shredded dairy free cheese, lettuce, tomato, black olives, dairy free sour cream, refried beans, Salsa, ...)

Peel the jicama and slice as thin as you can. Soak in hot water for 15 minutes to make it a little more pliable. 

Top with your favorite taco or tostada toppings. I add a little Lemon or Lime essential oil to some olive oil for a little dressing on the lettuce. Check out my Salsa recipe, too.

Mustard Sauce
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons brown mustard
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
2 tablespoons honey
2 drops Lemon Essential Oil

Chicken Filet Nuggets
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in 1" cubes
1/4 cup dill pickle juice
1 egg, beaten
2 tbsp coconut cream or milk
2 drops Lime Essential Oil
1/4 cup tapioca starch (potato or arrowroot starch okay)
1 tbsp paprika
1 tsp each salt and black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 dash ground cayenne pepper
1/2 cup coconut oil for frying

Place the chicken in a resealable plastic bag and add the pickle juice; marinate in the refrigerator for an hour.

You can make the mustard sauce by combining all ingredients and keeping in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Pour out excess pickle juice. Mix the egg, milk and lime oil together. Add to bag with chicken. Let sit for five minutes. Pour off excess liquid, if there is any. The pieces should be wet but not swimming in liquid.

Combine dry ingredients and mix well. Add to bag and mix together well. Warm up skillet with oil on medium heat. Fry chicken, flipping after about 3 minutes, until nice and golden brown. Don’t overcrowd the skillet. It should take about six minutes total per batch. Drain the chicken on paper towels as you cook the others, and keep them warm in the oven.

Serve with honey mustard sauce.

These subtle flavors don't overpower the meatloaf. Perfect balance. 

1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. ground turkey
2 carrots, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1/2 bell pepper, finely chopped
8 oz. mushrooms, chopped
(optionally you can grind some dried mushrooms and add with seasonings below)
2 eggs
2 drops Cilantro Essential Oil or 1/4 cup chopped fresh
3 tablespoons dill pickle relish (sweet tastes good, too)
1/4 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Place meat in bowl.
Saute vegetables in pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Let cool slightly, then pour in bowl with meat. 
Mix cilantro with eggs. Add relish and seasonings and stir. Add to meat and vegetable mixture and mix with your hands.
Form into 2 or 3 small loaf shapes and place on cookie sheet with sides that has been sprayed with oil.
Bake at 400 for approximately 45 minutes. 
Serve with ketchup if desired.

2 Chicken Breasts, cubed
1/4 cup corn starch or tapioca starch
2 eggs, beaten
1 drop Ginger Essential Oil
1 drop Lime Essential Oil
1 drop Cilantro Essential Oil
salt & pepper
Olive oil for frying. 
1/4 cup Coconut Aminos (or soy sauce)
1/4 cup honey.

Mix cornstarch in bowl with beaten eggs, oils, salt and pepper and mix. Add cubed chicken and stir to coat.

Add enough olive oil to frying so there is about 1/8". Add chicken one piece at a time. Do not crowd the pan. Fry for about 3-4 minutes until browned. Turn and repeat. Remove to paper towel, then place in bowl or pan.

Mix coconut aminos with honey and warm in microwave for 15 seconds so honey can blend easier. Pour over chicken and stir. Serve with Cilantro Lime Rice and Lemon Broccoli.

Lemon Broccoli
To make your lemon Broccoli, just cook broccoli as you usually do. Melt some coconut oil and add a drop or 2 of Lemon (or Lime) Essential Oil. Toss with broccoli. Mmmmmm!

2 large pieces cod
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons dairy free sour cream
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. dill weed
2 drops Lemon Essential Oil
3 tablespoons sliced green onion, finely chopped

Place cod in baking dish and blot dry with paper towels. Let it come to room temperature while you prep other ingredients. Preheat oven to 375F.

In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream, garlic powder, dill weed, and lemon oil. Stir in 2 tablespoons green onions. Spread an even coating over each piece of the fish, using all the topping mixture.

Bake fish until the internal temperature reaches 145F/62C, or until firm, but not hard to the touch. They should be flaky. Probably about 20-25 minutes. Serve hot, sprinkled with remaining sliced green onions.

8 bone-in skinless chicken thighs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
GF flour for dredging
3 tablespoons coconut oil
2 tablespoons EVOO
3 to 4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 medium or 1 large onion, chopped
1 fresh red chile
2 round tablespoons ras el hanout (recipe below)
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3 cups chicken stock
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 bunch spinach leaves (about 3 cups)
2 drops Ginger Essential Oil
1 drop Cardamom Essential Oil
2 drops Cinnamon Essential Oil
1 drop Clove Essential Oil
1/2 cup red or brown lentils
1 cup long-grain rice
1 drop Cilantro Essential Oil
1 cup pomegranate seeds
1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions

Sprinkle the chicken thighs with salt and pepper and dredge in flour. Melt 2 tablespoons coconut oil with the EVOO in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken until crisp, and then remove from the pan. Add the garlic, onions and chiles and sprinkle with some salt. Stir in the ras el hanout, and nutmeg, and cook until the vegetables are tender, 10 to 12 minutes.

Pour in 2 cups of the stock along with the squash and tomatoes and simmer 15 minutes. Return the chicken to the pot and simmer to cook through, 10 minutes longer. Add the essential oils and the spinach. Cook until it's wilted. (I didn't have any this time, so it is omitted in the picture.) 

Cook the lentils in boiling salted water until tender, 7 to 10 minutes for red lentils, 15 minutes for brown. (I usually black beans this time, so use what ever legume you like.) Drain and reserve. Meanwhile, bring the remaining 1 cup stock, 3/4 cup water and the remaining 1 tablespoon butter to a boil in another small saucepot. Add the cilantro oil. Add the rice and bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until tender, 16 to 18 minutes. Fluff with a fork, and then combine with the lentils, pomegranate, and scallions. Serve with the chicken.

Ras el hanout Spice Recipe
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric