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dani california cooks

homegrown and homemade in CA

Shrimp Taco Bowls with Cauliflower Rice (gluten free)

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First of all - I really, really enjoyed reading everyone’s comments on yesterday’s post. The support and advice that I get from our virtual blogging community is something I never expected, and that I truly appreciate.

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These healthy burrito bowls are layered with spicy shrimp, hearty black beans, avocado, on top of a bed of cauliflower rice. It’s a highly flavorful and filling dinner that’s still low in carbs!

bur This is one of the best things I’ve made in a long time. I mean it. It was the most lovely meal to have on a Sunday evening after a weekend of drinking on a boat - full of vegetables and lean proteins and fiber and flavor. And I absolutely cannot believe this is the first time I am ever trying cauliflower rice!! I love cauliflower mash, but cauliflower rice really takes the cake. I plan to make a large batch of it raw and keep it in my freezer, and use it whenever rice is called for. There are some healthy swaps that don’t stand up to the “real thing”, but I found the texture of cauliflower rice to be a lot like fluffy couscous, and with such a mild flavor. And I love that you can just eat it in volume!

Shrimp Taco Bowls with Cauliflower Rice (gluten free) On a completely different note, my little from my sorority is visiting San Francisco this weekend! We actually call her Little Alice and the nickname has stuck. I am super close with my sorority family - four years up and four years down - and I truly think joining a sorority was one of the best decisions I made in college. I can’t wait to have you with me soon, Little Alice! Look at us, so many years ago…

2015-08-10_20-37-32 We’re cute. But, back to the food.

Shrimp Taco Bowls with Cauliflower Rice (gluten free) I also used fresh black beans (not canned!) for this recipe, using a local brand that I’ve begun to love. Rancho Gordo has a space in the Ferry Building where they sell their beans and their corn. One day, I stumbled in there and bought some heirloom corn tortillas, not knowing what a GEM I had just come across. I was all upset one morning that I was out of something, and then made breakfast tacos using these tortillas and had like a euphoric experience. I’m never going back to plain tortillas again! Their midnight black beans have such a depth of flavor and texture, and they don’t require any soaking time since they are so fresh. I seriously can’t imagine going back to any other beans than their fresh ones. I’ve heard that people have the same experience when using soaked chickpeas instead of canned. I’ll have to give that a try and let you know!

Shrimp Taco Bowls with Cauliflower Rice (gluten free) | danicaliforniacooks.com This recipe is simple, fresh, and easy. And all of it can be made ahead of time and re-assembled throughout the week. I made it for me and Nate, but he had to work late (on a Sunday!!) so I ate alone and he was able to throw it together for himself. If serving cauliflower rice to a hungry man, I recommend serving in volume - lots of cauli-rice, lots of beans, lots of shrimp, lots of avo. Pile it on! And know that you can have a large serving too, because all of the ingredients are clean, clean, clean. And yummy, yummy, yummy.

Shrimp Taco Bowls with Cauliflower Rice (gluten free) | danicaliforniacooks.com This is the kind of dinner I would happily eat every night if I could. I don’t think I would get bored of it! But, obviously, swapping in salmon every once and a while. I could never give up on that love affair!

Shrimp Taco Bowls with Cauliflower Rice (gluten free) | danicaliforniacooks.com

5.0 from 4 reviews
Shrimp Taco Bowls with Cauliflower Rice (gluten free)
 
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These healthy burrito bowls are layered with spicy shrimp, hearty black beans, avocado, on top of a bed of cauliflower rice. It's a highly flavorful and filling dinner that's still low in carbs!
Author:
Serves: 2 servings
Ingredients
  • ½ lb shrimp, peeled and devined
  • 1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
  • ¾ cup black beans, cooked
  • ¼ cup salsa
  • 3 tbsp chopped cilantro
  • ½ tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 2 tsp hot sauce (I used Tapatio)
  • Half an avocado
  • ½ onion, chopped
  • Juice of half a lemon, plus additinoal lemon slices
  • Olive oil (or use a little butter for the shrimp)
  • Salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. In a food processor, pulse the cauliflower florets until into couscous sized pieces
  2. In large saucepan, heat the chopped onion in some olive oil until translucent
  3. Pour the cauliflower rice into the saucepan with the onion, and cook through. This will only take 3-5 minutes
  4. In another saucepan, pour a little olive oil and add the shrimp. Add in cumin, chili powder, and hot sauce. Flip once
  5. Squeeze some lemon juice over the shrimp
  6. In two shallow bowls, make a layer of cauliflower rice
  7. Divide the shrimp over each
  8. Spoon the black beans in each bowl
  9. Place some sliced avocado and divide up the salsa
  10. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with lemon wedges
Notes
I used dried black beans which I cooked over the stove, but if you use canned, make sure to heat them through before serving!

If you like this, you’ll love: Salmon Bowls with Miso Dressing

Salmon Bowls with Miso Dressing | danicaliforniacooks.com

Kale Salmon Nicoise (paleo)

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As if the classic nicoise salad could really be improved upon, this superfood twist uses salmon and kale!

salmon So apologies for not posting on Wednesday - although I’m sure most of you didn’t really notice and/or care! I really just didn’t have any blogging inspiration, so I just decided to forego it this week. Normally I would have shown a WIAW on Wednesday, but Monday’s and Tuesday’s eats was a lot of me just picking the M&M’s out of the gigantic trail mix box we had in our office. Not a photogenic situation worth capturing, I can promise you that!

salmon303 But this salad sure is. When I studied abroad in Paris in college, I spent a lot more time eating pain au raisins and the hot chocolate from Angelina’s, but I really should have eaten more nicoise salads because I gained 15 lbs because they are so tasty! Except the strikethrough was actually very, very true. Add the pictures from my final months in Paris into the same category of the hands-in-the-trailmix-bucket of Monday/Tuesday. They’ve definitely been deleted.

salmon39 Nicoise salads are composed French salads of a lot of little things - lots of different flavors, textures, and it’s actually an enjoyable salad eating experience. They are perfect for a long French-style lunch, because you can take a while to eat all of the bits and pieces that make up this salad!

food This version maintains lots of the classic Nicoise flavors - blanched green beans and potatoes, olives, a hard boiled egg, a red wine vinaigrette. But instead of olive oil-packed tuna, it’s a flaked filet of cooked salmon. And instead of mixed greens, it’s kale! Too many delicious superfoods - you can’t go wrong.

slamon4 Many of the ingredients you have in your kitchen already. I know when I was putting together this recipe in my mind, I realized that I only had to run to the grocery store for the shallot (which could be easily replaced with a finely chopped onion!) I hope you enjoy this kale and salmon twist on the classic Nicoise salad as much as we did.

5.0 from 1 reviews
Kale Salmon Nicoise
 
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As if the classic nicoise salad could really be improved upon, this superfood twist uses salmon and kale! Based off of the Food Network's recipe.
Author:
Serves: 2 servings
Ingredients
  • 4 cups thinly sliced lacinato kale
  • 2 hard boiled eggs, cut in half
  • 4 tbsp whole olives (I used kalamata, but the classic nicoise olives could of course be used)
  • Dozen green beans
  • 2 small filet of cooked salmon, flaked
  • ½ cup cherry tomatoes
  • 1 medium sized red potato, cut into pieces
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp dijon mustard
  • Quarter of a shallot, minced
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Bring a medium pot of water to boil to blanch the green beans and potatoes. The green beans will take only two minutes or so, while the potatoes will be about five minutes. I boiled them all together to save water/pans. Remove and set aside
  2. In a small bowl, whisk the chopped shallot, vinegar, mustard, and olive oil
  3. In a medium bowl, place the kale and pour over the dressing. Toss until well combined, and "massage" the kale a bit to relax it
  4. On two plates, distribute the kale evenly
  5. Place half the green beans and half the potatoes on each plate
  6. Place 2 halves of hard boiled egg on each plate
  7. Place half of the flaked salmon on each plate
  8. Divide olives across each plate
  9. Finish off with a little salt and pepper, and serve with a lemon wedge!

If you like this, you’ll love: Roasted Corn, Feta, and Basil Salad

Roasted Corn, Feta, and Basil Salad | danicaliforniacooks.com

Foil Packet Ginger Teriyaki Salmon

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It’s no secret that I adore salmon! This simple weeknight recipe requires no cleanup, and is fresh, light, and flavorful. It pairs easily with all sorts of vegetables and side dishes, and tastes good cold on top of salads the next day!

Foil Packet Ginger Teriyaki Salmon | danicaliforniacooks.com My friends joke that I should really make another Instagram entirely dedicated to my (almost daily) pictures of salmon. But I really can’t help myself - I’m on a mission to eat ALL THE SALMON that exists on the west coast and no decline in Instagram followers who are tired of my fish pics is going to stop me. Here are some of my most favored insta-fish posts..

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#LUNCH was this INSANE tea smoked salmon!! #happydance

A photo posted by Dani Nemzer (@danicaliforniacooks) on

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#lunches in #sanfrancisco continue to be

A photo posted by Dani Nemzer (@danicaliforniacooks) on

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Bah, what a presentation! I want ALL the salmon these days #dinner #instafood

A photo posted by Dani Nemzer (@danicaliforniacooks) on

And I don’t just eat salmon on the road - I eat it at home too. It’s such a versatile and delicious fish, and requires such little preparation, as it is so rich and flavorful on its own. While fresh salmon does taste like a whole different fish compared to frozen salmon, I keep a bag of wild caught frozen salmon from Whole Foods in my freezer for when I need to pull together a quick weeknight dinner. They come in individualized vacuum wrapped packets, which is great to avoid freezer burn. I usually take them out in the morning and place in the fridge to defrost (but not go bad) throughout the day, so when I’m ready to cook dinner they are good to do.

Foil Packet Ginger Teriyaki Salmon | danicaliforniacooks.com

The greatest thing about this recipe is that there is no clean up, or the smell of fish lingering in your kitchen after you cook it. You simply put the sauce on the fish, wrap them up in foil, and then pop into the oven. I like to sprinkle some sesame seeds for flavor and crunch, and chopped green onions for a little freshness, and then you can serve. It takes less than 20 minutes to throw together, and you have a healthy and oh-so-versatile protein to add to a variety of dishes. Last time I made this, I prepared it with my Sesame Vegetable Soba Noodle Salad, and I was in heaven.

Foil Packet Ginger Teriyaki Salmon | danicaliforniacooks.com

Anyways, this recipe is by no means a masterful kitchen accomplishment, but I can promise you that this technique and easy preparation will soon become a staple in your kitchen as well. Let me know if you try it out!

5.0 from 4 reviews
Foil Packet Ginger Teriyaki Salmon
 
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This easy salmon recipe requires no cleanup, and is super light and flavorful!
Author:
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • 2 salmon filets
  • 1 tbsp teriyaki sauce (I used a gluten free brand)
  • 2 tsp soy sauce (I used gluten free Tamari)
  • 2 tsp freshly grated ginger
  • 2 tbsp chopped green onions
  • 2 tsp sesame seeds
  • Optional - lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F
  2. Rip two sheets of aluminum foil, large enough to enclose each salmon filet entirely
  3. Place each filet individually on their own piece of aluminum foil
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together the ginger, teriyaki sauce, and soy sauce
  5. Using a spoon or a brush, pour evenly over each filet
  6. Close up the foil packets around the salmon like you're wrapping a present
  7. Place directly in the oven, and bake for about 10-15 minutes, depending on how well done you prefer your salmon
  8. Remove from foil packets, place on a plate and sprinkle with the green onions and sesame seeds
  9. Serve with lemon wedges!

If you like this, you’ll love: Salmon Bowls with Miso Dressing

Salmon Bowls with Miso Dressing | danicaliforniacooks.com

Tofu Lettuce Wraps with Mango

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Served in fresh butter lettuce, tofu and mushrooms are cooked in a simple, fresh peanut sauce and topped off with mango. Enjoy as an appetizer or with brown rice for a full, healthy meal!

wrap First of all, let’s wish Mama Dani California Cooks a very happy birthday tomorrow! I wish I could say this meal was made in honor of her, but I’ve never seen her make tofu or eat lettuce wraps so…

I am such a creature of habit sometimes. I could probably have the same things for breakfast (eggs, or egg white oatmeal with PB), lunch (tuna salad) and dinner (salmon and veggies or tofu lettuce wraps) every day throughout the week and be happy. But I also love to try new foods and I LOVE to go out to eat and I obviously love to try new recipes! At the end of the day, I just end up eating a lot. There you have it.

let2 I discovered these tofu lettuce wraps at my favorite restaurant when I’m on the road in Spokane and I’ve been dying to recreate them at home - you know, because I don’t eat them enough during the week. You’ve seen them on my Instagram (see below) and my blog before. I probably could eat those lettuce wraps every day when I’m on the road! (I probably have, one week). So I put together a new take on these lettuce wraps, and I love them. The wraps at the restaurant are flavored with a lemongrass-ginger sauce and have crushed hazelnuts and peppers. These wraps have a more savory sauce with peanut butter, but with a little julienned mango for sweetness. I served them to two non-vegetarians and they loved them!

Mizuna’s lettuce wraps…

Loving this beautiful bouquet of tofu lettuce wraps for #dinner tonight! #vegan

A photo posted by Dani Nemzer (@danicaliforniacooks) on

And my take on the lettuce wraps!

wraps4 This recipe is super easy - it’s really just a new take on the stir-fry. Instead of placing your stir-fry over rice, place it in butter lettuce cups! Then you eat them like a taco [read stuff your face and get all good n’ messy]. The most difficult part of this recipe is getting the texture down. Tofu is not the easiest of things to work with. You have to drain it of its moisture, and let me reassure you, there is a LOT of moisture in tofu. I go through several handfuls of paper towels for even just using one block of tofu. But once that is done and your tofu is cubed, it’s an easy sautee and then an even easier plating. The presentation is beautiful - I love all of the colors. It looks impressive without being a complicated cooking effort. Always a win in my book.

wraps2 I have to say thank you to Mizuna for providing the presentation ideas of these lettuce wraps, and of course the original inspiration! Sylvia of Feasting at Home was the original founder of Mizuna, and she has fantastic vegetarian and non-vegetarian recipes on her blog that are homemade, restaurant quality.

let

Tofu Lettuce Wraps with Mango
 
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Author:
Serves: 3-4 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 block extra firm tofu, drained and cubed
  • 5 shiitake mushrooms, roughly chopped
  • 1 head of butter lettuce, leaves separated
  • ½ mango, julienned
  • 1 tbsp peanut butter, room temp or warmed
  • 3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tsp grated ginger
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 3 tbsp peanuts, roughly crushed
  • Red pepper flakes
  • Additional olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Remove your tofu from the casing, and layer between paper towels. Place something heavy on top of it to drain. You will have to replace the paper towels several times - tofu has a lot of moisture!
  2. While draining, roughly chop your mushrooms
  3. Once drained, cube the tofu into 1 cm x 1 cm cubes
  4. Place the tofu and the mushrooms in a pan with a little olive oil, and begin to cook on medium heat. Turn tofu cubes frequently, until golden brown
  5. In the meantime, whisk the peanut butter, ginger, vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper thoroughly. It helps if the pb has been warmed or is at least at room temp
  6. Pour sauce over tofu and mushroom mixture, and turn on low heat. Allow for sauce to thicken and soak up into the tofu and mushrooms
  7. Place your butter lettuce leaves on a plate or platter. It's ok if they are of different sizes - you will just have some smaller/some larger portions!
  8. Carefully spoon a 2-3 tbsp of the tofu mixture into each butter lettuce cup
  9. Lay 2-3 pieces of the mango, and then sprinkle on the crushed peanuts
  10. Shake red pepper flakes to taste
  11. Serve and enjoy!
If you like this, you’ll love: Tuna Salad Swiss Chard Wrap

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5-Ingredient Stuffed Peppers

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Bell peppers are packed tight with juicy shredded salsa chicken and corn, topped with spicy jack cheese, and then baked in the oven for gluten free and low carb comfort food. Even better - this recipe has only five ingredients!

pep2 When my grandfather and Shirley came over for dinner last week, it was the first time I was hosting a dinner for them AND the first time that I was cooking a real meal for Nate since he returned. Let’s just say that stakes were HIGH. And everyone has their different requirements, right? For example, my grandfather is on a low-sodium diet. That meant my original idea of risotto was out the window. Nate eats a LOT but he enjoys healthy eating, so I knew there needed to be a good ratio of vegetables to proteins to whole grains to satisfy. And I wanted something that would be approved by myself and my mom, meaning something that we could eat a lot of and was full of flavor but still was easy on the waistline. So…a-HA! Stuffed peppers it is!

pep90 So stuffed peppers take some time. Each individual step is not difficult, but you kind of have to commit to making stuffed peppers earlier in the day. But they are made to impress - both visually and the way they taste. I decided to try my luck with a Mexican-inspired dish. First, chicken went in a crockpot with corn and salsa. It happily cooked all day until I could shred it into juicy pieces. About an hour and a half before you are ready to serve, start readying your peppers. Cut them in half and remove all insides. Maybe for a pro this doesn’t take that long, but for me it takes several cooking utensils!

pep9 Once the peppers are clean, blanch them in hot water for just a few minutes. That helps to tenderize the veggies and bake easier. Then, shred your chicken in your crockpot and start stuffing those peppers! You may think that your peppers are stuffed, but press down and you can likely fill in more. Pop in the oven at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes. Five minutes before you’re ready to serve, top with your cheese and turn on the broiler. That was a recommendation from Momma Dani California Cooks, and as always, she was spot on in the kitchen. You want your peppers to start to turn inward on themselves, and the broiler does veeeery nice things to that cheesey topping. Then, they are done!

pep04 I served these stuffed peppers with brown rice mixed with cilantro, garlic, and lime (totally inspired by Chipotle’s brown rice) as well as maple-roasted brussels sprouts. The brussels may seem out of place, but my grandfather had recently gone off a medication which for years he was forbidden to eat brussels sprouts so I needed to re-introduce him to one of my favorite vegetables! They are also one of Nate’s favorites, so a win-win all around. Homemade sangria on the side, and then Shirley supplied insanely good walnut brownies for dessert. I highly recommend a similar menu if you decide to give these peppers a try!

pep4

On it’s own, the salsa chicken was delicious and I often make a big crockpot of that on Sunday night and eat throughout the week over salads, in lettuce cups, quesadillas, rice bowls, you name it.

Salsa Chicken Stuffed Peppers
 
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Bell peppers are packed tight with juicy shredded salsa chicken and corn, topped with spicy jack cheese, and then baked in the oven for gluten free and low carb comfort food.
Author:
Serves: 6-8 servings
Ingredients
  • 6 large bell peppers
  • 3 chicken breasts
  • 1 jar fresh salsa
  • 1 can of corn, drained
  • 1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
Instructions
  1. Place the chicken, salsa, and corn in the crockpot. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or low for 4-6
  2. An hour and a half before serving, slice your peppers in half, lengthwise. Clean out all of the seeds and insides of each half
  3. In a boiling pot of water, blanche the peppers for about a minute each. Remove, pat the peppers dry, and place in a large baking dish
  4. Once the chicken is ready, it should shred easily at the poke of a fork. Shred the chicken and mix in the crockpot with all of the juices and the salsa
  5. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F
  6. Pack each pepper tightly with the shredded chicken
  7. Fill the baking dish with about a ½ inch of water
  8. Place the peppers in the oven
  9. After about 30 minutes of cooking, sprinkle the cheese over the peppers and turn on the broiler for 5 mintutes
  10. Remove when the cheese has melted and the peppers are turning inwards
  11. Serve and enjoy!
pep3

Sunday Set Ups: One Pot No-Bean Vegetable and Beef Chili

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Stew vegetables and ground beef with chili and espresso for a hearty, spicy one pot meal that tastes better the next day. It’s paleo-friendly, so its free of dairy, gluten, and legumes!

No-Bean Vegetable and Beef Chili | danicaliforniacooks.com I used to say that my last meal before I died would be chili with cornbread and lemonade. My parents were like “did you not grow up in the South?” Nowadays, that “last meal ever” list has expanded to include carrot cake, molten chocolate lava cake, tuna wraps, sushi, cheese and crackers, caesar salad, fruit, toast with PB, sweet potato fries, wine, dried dates and figs, oatmeal cookies, etc. It’ll be a feast…you’re all invited.

Since following something close to the Whole30 recently, I’ve been gravitating towards super simple but deeply flavorful foods. I experimented a bit with adding ground espresso and chili powder to grass-fed ground beef and chopped up rainbow bell peppers, and the result was something so satisfying. I couldn’t wait to share with you all! The serving options for this recipe are endless, which is why it’s a great meal to make in bulk on Sunday to eat on Monday. And Tuesday. And Wednesday.
No-Bean Vegetable and Beef Chili | danicaliforniacooks.com When you’re trying to clean up your diet in general, people worry that they are going to lose out on all of the flavor and enjoyment of food. And that cooking for others will always seem like they are trying to push “healthy” on them. My taste testers especially have had to sample their fare share of healthified baked goods (some good, some cardboard-y) and quinoa stuffed vegetables. The best part about this chili was when I served it to others, no one thought that it was part of any “healthy eating shtick”. They just thought it was delicious, and we turned this 4-6 serving meal into 3.

No-Bean Vegetable and Beef Chili | danicaliforniacooks.com Side note - this can be done in a crockpot. But sometimes I truly enjoy the process of cooking everything piece by piece, and that’s what I decided to do on the rainy Saturday that I put together this chili. (Yes I did say RAIN, we had RAIN here in Los Angeles! Give us some more, rain spirits!) Anyways, one way to simplify your chili making is to use canned and diced fire-roasted tomatoes. There are several brands that make these, and they add wonderful flavor to your chili without YOU having to do much else. The way this chili works is easy. Brown the meat with the onions, skim off the fat, and then add in everything else. Let sit for however many hours on low heat. Serve with your toppings of choice. Repeat the next day, and the next, and the next.

chilii There are a ton of options for how to serve this chili, which is why I love making a big batch on the weekends. You can make a burrito bowl out of it with quinoa or brown rice on the bottom. You can mix in tons of fresh spinach. You can use it for taco or quesadilla fillings. Or you can do it Dani California Cooks childhood-last-meal-ever-style, with some cornbread and a glass of lemonade. I personally like mine all doctored up with cilantro, avocado, jalapenos, and red onions.

No-Bean Vegetable and Beef Chili | danicaliforniacooks.com I could happily eat meals like this all week. And now that I made this, I will!

One Pot No-Bean Vegetable and Beef Chili
 
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This hearty no-bean chili is full of vegetables and ground beef, and spiced with chili and espresso for depths of flavor! It's low carb, dairy and gluten free. And it takes only one pot to make!
Author:
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 1 lb grass-fed ground beef
  • 3 bell peppers, seeded and roughly chopped
  • ½ white onion, diced
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 2 cans of diced fire-roasted tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp ground espresso
  • 2 tbsp chili powder
  • Dash of cayenne
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. In a large pot over medium heat, cook the onions and garlic in a tablespoon or two of olive oil for about 5 minutes.
  2. Add the ground beef to brown, about another 5-7 minutes. Break up the beef into smaller pieces. Skim off the fat
  3. Toss in the chopped bell peppers and cook for several minutes
  4. Add in the tomato paste, diced tomatoes,and spices
  5. Taste and add salt and pepper
  6. Cook for 3-4 hours on low
  7. Serve with toppings of choice! (Jalapenos, red onion, avocado, plain yogurt, cilantro, you name it!)
Notes
Store in your refrigerator all week. It tastes even better the next day!

To cook in a crockpot, add in all ingredients and cook on low for 8-10 hours.Skim off the fat before serving!

Goat Cheese Deviled Eggs

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Swap mayo for goat cheese for a fun twist on the classic deviled egg. Perfect for healthy game day snacking!

Goat Cheese Deviled Eggs | danicaliforniacooks.com Things I care about: food. Things I that give me the zzzz’s: sports. Things I care about: entertaining and getting family and friends together. You see where I’m going with this? Dare I say it? Eeek…things that give me the zzzz’s: the Superbowl.

So now that you’ve gotten to know me a little better, it’s quite obvious that the food/party aspect of Game Day is my favorite part. (And the halftime show, of course). It’s been a running joke on a lot of my project teams at how inept I am at even talking about sports - I think one time I asked when “tee off” was at a baseball game. Still not sure why that wasn’t the right language. However, I love any reason to cook for people and the Superbowl is an awesome time for appetizer taste testers. Insert, these goat cheese deviled eggs! They are the perfect healthy game day snack, and a fun take on the classic that everyone will be surprised by and enjoy. Goat Cheese Deviled Eggs | danicaliforniacooks.com Deviled eggs are kind of like that song in high school that no one likes to admit they rock out to in their car but everyone loves. Does anyone like to admit that they love deviled eggs? Original recipes have great flavors and textures, and they are really easy to make. My twist on deviled eggs definitely elevates them from the classic recipe, and the goat cheese adds the perfect amount of tangy-ness and is essentially the substitute for any mayo. I know, I know - mayo-less deviled eggs?! I’m not scoffing at your tried-and-true recipe by any means - I’m just saying, give these a try. You won’t be disappointed, neither will your guests, and it will certainly distract you from all that football going on in the background.

Goat Cheese Deviled Eggs | danicaliforniacooks.com You can easily scoop the goat cheese mixture directly into the white halves, but it’s more fun to put it in a plastic bag, cut off the corner, and swirl it into the eggs for a little extra decoration and presentation value. Similar technique that bakers use for icing, I believe. Top with smoked paprika, chopped chives, and they are good to serve! Another great thing about these is that you can easily make ahead and have them stored in your fridge for when the game starts (or when you get bored at min 5 and need something to do, i.e. eat). To be perfectly honest with y’all, I made these on a Saturday afternoon and ate them for a Sunday morning breakfast. So that’s another option.

Goat Cheese Deviled Eggs | danicaliforniacooks.com

All of separate parts of this recipe can be made in the morning and assembled right before “tee off”!

Goat Cheese Deviled Eggs
 
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Swap mayo for goat cheese to make these new twist on the deviled egg.
Author:
Serves: 8 deviled eggs
Ingredients
  • 4 hardboiled eggs (12 minutes)
  • 2 tbsp soft goat cheese
  • 1 tbsp warm water
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 tbsp chives, chopped
  • Paprika
Instructions
  1. Peel your hardboiled eggs and cut them in half, lengthwise
  2. Take out the yokes while keeping the white halves in tact
  3. Mix the goat cheese, warm water, and 3 of the yolks in a small mixing bowl until whipped
  4. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired
  5. Spoon mixture into a ziplock bag, and cut off the corner to leave a 1 cm hole
  6. Squeeze mixture into each individual egg, filling the hole of the egg left by the yoke and some swirly decorations on top
  7. Sprinkle paprika and chives
  8. Serve!
Notes
You can easily double or triple this recipe for larger groups!

This appetizer will store well for several days in your refrigerator.
Goat Cheese Deviled Eggs | danicaliforniacooks.com