You know that moment that you have made the commitment to be healthier and eat a bit cleaner? You’ve researched food, done some shopping, and you are excited to get started. Until the one second you realize you don’t want the green drink staring out at you, but instead want to eat raw brownie batter out of a bowl while standing over the sink. That is me right at this moment. Have you ever been there? Is this just a me thing?

And, quick note that dipping apple slices in gluten free brownie batter is the BOMB! The apple slices make it sound healthier than it is, and you will totally judge yourself after eating it. But, I still suggest trying it at some point.

So, today is clearly the perfect day to be chatting about food and cooking! Let me grab this green drink, shed a tear, say a quick “help me” prayer, and get on with it!

I will never be a blogger that creates a cookbook. Ever. I mean, if I did, you would have little nuggets like “Apples & Brownie Batter”. Really great, but not exactly cookbook material.

I have approximately 59 cookbooks in my pantry. I just counted. I have probably used recipes out of 10 of them.

I grew up with a mom that loved to cook. The Betty Crocker cookbook was so well loved from the dog-earred pages that by the time I was heading to college you had to be careful how you handled the book.

For some reason, that love of cooking never really transferred to me. I have always been able to make a few decent things, and I was a boss on the George Foreman grill back in the day. But, until we had kids, my diet consisted mainly of Mexican food, apples, chicken, cheese, Tostitos, and wine. #classy

When we started growing our family, I was PUMPED to be the mom that sneaks spinach into pancakes and has her children requesting green smoothies. Super quick . . . didn’t happen. Harlan is currently scared of anything green, and Jackson will only eat a piece fruit if it is blended by the nice man at Smoothie King.

I realized very quickly that my little people are very demanding in how they want their food to taste. And, then my diagnosis with Celiacs in September 2013 only made it all that much more challenging.

Over the last five years, I have found a FEW things that everyone eats and everyone loves. Taco Tuesday is BIG over at the Beucler House, and the kids actually cheer when I tell them that I am making sliders. Besides those two, there are a couple of other crowd pleasers I can pull together.

But, let me just say . . . cooking kind of beats me down. Not the actual cooking process, but the response after the meal is made. If I spend time to make something, and no one likes it? BEAT DOWN! And, yes, the smoke alarm is not my friend. Nor is the iron skillet, which just tries to burn things on purpose and is clearly out to get me.

So, when 2020 came around, one of my resolutions – AS USUAL – was to become a better cook and not rely on Reid grilling or my Jimmy John and Pizza Hut apps so much.

Enter the amazing Alex Snodgrass of The Defined Dish. She seriously has changed my world. My attitude towards cooking is better because my people are LOVING what I am making. And . . . score one for me . . . all of these recipes are actually healthy!

If you don’t follow Alex on Instragram, do that immediately! She offers amazing and healthy recipes on her blog, and just released this cookbook at the end of 2019!

Let me say this about the cookbook . . . IT IS AMAZING! Everything in this cookbook is either already gluten free, or can be modified to be gluten free. Most of the recipes are Whole30 compliant. And, let me just say that if Whole30 always tasted this good, we would all be on Whole30!

I got this cookbook in early January, and have made the following YUMMY treats over the last few weeks:

*Perfect Whole30 Italian Meatballs in Marinara Sauce
Everyone in my family is obsessed over these meatballs! They are so tasty, AND my kids didn’t even care that there were onions inside. Score!

*Chipotle Chicken Tostadas with Pineapple Salsa
So easy and super healthy! Not to sound ridiculous, but the mixture of flavors is a little taste explosion in your mouth. Family approved!

*Pan-Roasted Blackened Cajun Chicken
If there was a picture next to this recipe in the dictionary, it would be of my husband. This is his perfect meal, and he LOVED it! A little spicy for my boys, but that is an easy removal of the cayenne pepper next time around. Oh, and the iron skillet didn’t have it out for me on this one.

*Chicken-Fried Steak with Creamy Cauliflower Gravy
People. Oh my goodness. My favorite meal my mom made when I was growing up was chicken fried steak. SUUUUUPER unhealthy, but so amazing. Since being diagnosed with Celiacs, having treats like this are out of the picture for me. Until now! This Whole30 compliant meal was SO, SO, SOOOOOOOOOO good. My entire crew enjoyed it, AND it got my boys to eat cauliflower. Score one for me!

*Grain-Free Pizza Bites
If I could have these every day for the rest of my life and not be 300 pounds, I would. So great, so easy, and my boys loved them!

*Cheeseburger Meatballs
Just the title of this recipe is amazing. Super easy, and loved by my crew. Reid said that if you dip these meatballs in the sauce from the Pan-Roasted Blackened Cajun Chicken, they taste like the meatball dish from Neighborhood Services. So, if you are in Dallas, there is that little nugget of info. He was loving the combo last night!

So, while I am never a blogger that will come out with a cookbook, I am clearly a blogger that tells you which cookbook to buy! If you love to cook . . . if you hate to cook . . . it you are trying to be a good cook . . . whatever the case, go grab The Defined Dish cookbook today. It is so great, and I am so thankful to Alex for helping me with my New Year’s Resolution!

Happy cooking, and let me know what recipes you guys love. Next up for us is the Skillet Chicken Piccata! Yummy!

XO