I made this dish for lunch yesterday and wasn't even planning to share it on the blog but it was so easy and delicious (and I had everything for it in my fridge or pantry already) that I had to take a few minutes to snap some photos and write it up for you. These are always my favorite kinds of meals--the ones that you don't plan or have to shop for but end up being exactly what you were in the mood for.

If you have other veggies in the fridge that need to go (onion or mushrooms would be good), feel free to throw 'em in the pan; and if you hate something I listed below (not everyone loves capers although I think I might like them enough for the rest of you), go ahead and skip it. But the combination of sweet sun-dried tomatoes and briny capers with juicy artichoke hearts in tomato sauce was absolutely perfect over zucchini noodles. I'm usually a salad lunch gal, but every now and again I really love to have a warm, home-cooked meal in the middle of the day. 

This recipe is both Paleo and vegetarian (though you could easily add some meat to it if you want), and it reheats well, so you can make it ahead of time and heat it up at work. I hope you love it as much as I did!

Ingredients:

• 2 medium zucchini, spiralized
• 1 tablespoon grass-fed butter or olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup tomato sauce (make sure it's free from or low in sugar)
• 1 tablespoon capers
• 2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes
• 1/2 cup canned artichoke hearts, quartered
• 1/4 tablespoon crushed red pepper (more or less to taste)
• Salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese, to taste

Instructions:

1. Melt butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 2-3 minutes, or until fragrant. Add the zucchini noodles and sauté for another 5-6 minutes.
2. Add tomato sauce (full disclosure: I used pizza sauce because it was all I had and it was delicious) and toss with tongs to combine. Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the capers, sun-dried tomatoes, and artichoke hearts. Season with salt and pepper and add the crushed red pepper and some Parmesan cheese. Serve hot with more cheese on top, if desired.

When Rob and I used to live in Charlotte, we would go to this little tapas place called Zen Fusion for happy hour almost every Friday night, especially in the summertime when we could sit outside on their awesome patio. They had great sangria and a little menu of cheap appetizers, and we'd always order the same things--starting with gambas al ajillo. These succulent shrimp would come out swimming in a small cast iron pan of hot, bubbly, garlicky oil. The best.

My friend Becky of A Calculated Whisk and I decided to trade cookbooks this year; and when my copy of Paleo Planet (affiliate link) came to my door, I flipped through it and immediately knew that I'd be making her Garlicky Shrimp, or gambas al ajillo before anything else.

Garlicky Shrimp (Gambas al Ajillo) from Paleo Planet by Becky Winkler

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 10 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 pound large or jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed if desired
• 3/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon bittersweet smoked paprika 
• Pinch of cayenne powder

Instructions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the shrimp in a single layer, raise the heat to medium-high, and sprinkle on the salt, black pepper, paprika, and cayenne. Cook until the shrimp turn pink on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook until the shrimp are opaque throughout, another 2 or 3 minutes. Serve hot.

My favorite thing about this recipe (other than the amazing flavor) is how quickly and easily it comes together. You probably have most of the ingredients already on hand, and the shrimp only take a few minutes! Easy and delicious--my favorite way to cook.

Check out the recipe Becky made from The Big 15 Paleo Cookbook right here (hint: just in time for Mardi Gras)!

Can you believe Valentine's Day is just a week away? Rob and I don't usually do very much to celebrate, but I always like to make a little treat and maybe some dinner.

This year I decided to try my hand at some keto fat bombs--they only take a few ingredients and they're packed with healthy fats so they make a really great treat when you're trying to cut out sugar. Some people sweeten them with a bit of honey or any other natural sweetener, but I don't think they need it.

Ingredients: 

• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1/2 cup almond butter
• 1-2 tablespoons grass-fed butter (optional but delicious)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• A pinch of salt
• Several tablespoons of unsweetened shredded coconut, for topping

Instructions: 

1. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt coconut oil and whisk together with almond butter until combined. Add cocoa powder and butter. Continue to stir until combined. Add the salt and remove from heat.
2. Pour the mixture into baking molds--I use silicone cupcake liners, but you could find cute little heart ones or some other shape.
3. Pop them into the freezer for 15-20 minutes, or until they've hardened enough to handle. Store in the fridge!