James Alvarez James Alvarez

Crock Pot Chicken and Lentils

Check out this hearty and healthy bowl filled with all the nourishment your body needs.

  • 1.5 handfuls of Crock Pot Chicken chopped up

  • 1 ladle of cooked green lentils, mixed with chopped white onion, 1 tbsp of olive oil and 2 pinches of sea salt

    • Cooking Instructions. Add 3 cups of water or vegetable brother to a pot. Add 1 cup of green lentils. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for 45 minutes, covered. Taste for tenderness before removing from heat. Strain the lentils and return them to the pot.

  • 1 handful of spicy brussels sprouts

  • 1 handful of sautéed crimini mushrooms

    • Cooking Instructions. Bring a pan to medium-high heat. Add a tbsp of olive oil. Slice an 8 oz package of mushrooms into quarters (baby bellas or crimini), toss lightly with 2 tbsp of olive oil and 2 pinches of sea salt and add them to the preheated pan. Add a few splashes of water to create steam and cover. Leave undisturbed for 5 minutes, then toss, cover again, and let sit for another 3 - 5 minutes.

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James Alvarez James Alvarez

Fiber and Omega Rich Bowl!

Wild sockeye salmon, lentils, beets, avocado and red onion delight.

Wild sockeye salmon, lentils, beets, avocado and red onion delight.

Wild Sockeye Salmon. Start with wild salmon. I’ve been enjoying frozen wild sockeye salmon from Whole Foods or Sprouts (grocers closest to me), or fresh wild Sockeye from Trader Joes. Preheat the oven to 425. Lightly coat both sides of the salmon filet (or filets if cooking multiple) with olive oil. Place the filet skin up on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Add a pinch of salt (or two) to each filet and black pepper. Cook for 8 - 10 minutes (depending on thickness of the fish). 

Lentils. Add 3 cups of water or vegetable brother to a pot. Add 1 cup of green lentils. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for 45 minutes, covered. Taste for tenderness before removing from heat. Strain the lentils and return them to the pot.

Boiled Beets. Buy 3-4 loose organic beets. Remove the skin. Cut them into quarters (1/8s if they’re large). Place in a pot, add water so covered by 1-2 inches of water. Add two pinches of salt. 1 tbsp of red wine vinegar. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for 60 minutes. Make sure you can easily pierce them with a fork before removing from water.

Assemble. Add enough lentils to cover the bottom of the bowl. Add 3 quarter pieces of beets chopped into bite size pieces. Add 1/4 slice avocado and one slice chopped red onion. Add 1 salmon filet (4- 6 oz). Drizzle with red wine vinegar and 3 pinches of sea salt.

Buon Appetito!!

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James Alvarez James Alvarez

Chicken Salad Surprise!

Red and green lentils, homemade chicken salad and brussel sprout yum!

Lentils. Chicken Salad. Brussels. 

Chicken Salad (makes 1 serving). Chop up 1/2 a large chicken breast and one slice of red onion and place them together into a food processor (I have a mini Ninja which works great). Pulse it a few times until mixed. Add 1/2 chopped apple, and pulse until mixed. Add a few almonds and walnuts. Pulse until mixed. Add 1 tbsp of honey dijon mustard, stone & ground mustard, Buffalo Primal Sauce, and Sweet Baby Rays hot sauce. Pulse until mixed. Add 2 tbsp of olive oil and a few pinches of salt and pepper. Pulse until desire consistency is reached.

Lentils. Add 3 cups of water or vegetable brother to a pot. Add 1 cup of green lentils. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for 45 minutes, covered. Taste for tenderness before removing from heat. Strain the lentils and return them to the pot.

Brussels. Set a pan to medium-high heat. Cut the stems off and quarter or halve them (if bigger). Toss in a bowl with 1 tbsp of olive oil and two pinches of salt. Add brussels to the pan. Add a splash of water to the pan and cover. Let cook undisturbed for 5 minutes. Toss and cover for another 5.

Assemble. Add enough lentils to cover the bottoms of the bowl. Add a handful of brussel sprouts. Drizzle with 1 tbsp of olive oil and 2 pinches of salt. Add the chicken salad and drizzle with fig balsamic vinegar.

Buon Appetito!!

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James Alvarez James Alvarez

Salmon Lentil Bowl!

Try this simple salmon and lentil bowl!

Wild salmon and lentil bowl

Lentils, wild salmon, tomato, avocado, red onion

Lentils. I have a bulk mix of red and green lentils. Depending on what you buy, the cooking time will vary. Check the packaging. These instructions are based on my mix.

Rinse 1 cup of mixed lentils and let them soak for 60 minutes. Add 3 cups of water or vegetable brother to a pot. Add the lentils. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for 30 - 40 minutes, covered. Taste for tenderness before removing from heat.

Strain the lentils and return them to the pot.

Wild Salmon. Preheat the oven to 425. Lightly coat both sides of the salmon filet (or filets if cooking multiple) with olive oil. Place the filet skin up on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Add a pinch of salt (or two) to each filet and black pepper. Cook for 8 minutes (longer if desired). 

Assemble. Add one ladle of lentils. Add one filet of salmon. Top with 1/4 sliced avocado, 1 small slice tomato and one slice of chopped red onion. Add two pinches of sea salt, 1 tbsp of olive oil and red wine vinegar to taste.

Buon Appetito!!

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James Alvarez James Alvarez

Lentils and Meatloaf

Lentils, beef patty, brussel sprouts, mushrooms, avocado and red onion

Lentils and meatloaf bowl

Lentils, ground beef patty, brussels, mushrooms, avocado and red onion.  

Lentils. I have a bulk mix of red and green lentils. Depending on what you buy, the cooking time will vary. Check the packaging. These instructions are based on my mix.

Rinse 1 cup of mixed lentils and let them soak for 60 minutes. Add 3 cups of water or vegetable brother to a pot. Add the lentils. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for 30 - 40 minutes, covered. Taste for tenderness before removing from heat.

Strain the lentils and return them to the pot.

Beef Patty. Bring a pan large enough to fit the meat to med-high heat, add a tbsp of olive oil. Use 1 lbs of 100% grass fed and finished or pasture raised ground beef. In a mixing bowl add the ground beef, 6 pinches of salt, 6 pinches of black pepper, 2 tbsp mustard, 2 tbsp Primal Buffalo Sauce, 1 egg (beat it before adding it), and 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs. Mix it all together.  

Make 4 equal size meatballs using your hands. Add each meatball to the pan individually and flatten until each resembles a hamburger. Cook for 4-5 minutes undisturbed and then flip for another 4-5.

Brussels. Set a pan to medium-high heat. Cut the stems off and quarter or halve them (if bigger). Toss in a bowl with 1 tbsp of olive oil and two pinches of salt. Add brussels to the pan. Add a splash of water to the pan and cover. Let cook undisturbed for 5 minutes. Toss and cover for another 5.

Mushrooms. Organic baby bellas are good. Bring a pan to medium-high heat. Add a tbsp of olive oil. Slice the mushrooms, and add them to the preheated pan. Leave undisturbed for 5 minutes, then toss and let sit for another five. 

Assemble. Add 1/2 cup cooked lentils to the bottom of a bow. Chop one patty into bite size pieces. Add a handful of brussel sprouts and a handful of mushrooms. Add 1/4 sliced avocado, and one slice chopped red onion. top with red wine vinegar and two pinches of sea salt.

Buon Appetito!!

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James Alvarez James Alvarez

Lentil venison breakfast bowl

With brussel sprouts, tomato, avocado and egg

There’s a good amount of prep work involved with this dish, but once you’ve cooked the venison, lentils and brussels, you’ll have enough for a few meals.

I used Force of Nature Ground Venison which contains 3 percent of grass fed beef. Heat a skillet on medium-high heat. Add olive oil and a pinch of salt, let it heat up. Throw in the venison and flat it out in the pan and sprinkle some salt on top. Let it sit for about five minutes before flipping it over (it’s easier if you cut the large patty in half or quarters to flip it). Let it cook for another five minutes to brown the other side. Then chop it up in the pan with a wooden spoon and allow the meat to cook all the way through.

For your lentils, bring 3 cups of water to 1 cup of lentils to boil, then reduce the heat to low to a simmer. Cook for 15 - 20 minutes or until your lentils are soft but not mushy (I like them both ways).

Cut the stems off your brussels and then cut them in half or quarters if they are bigger. Toss them in a bowl with olive oil and salt. Dump them into a pre-heated skillet. Pour a couple of tablespoons of water into the pan to create some steam, and then cover them. Let them sit for five minutes, then toss them using a flick of the wrist or a wooden spoon, and cover them again, letting them sit for five - six more minutes, or until you can easily pierce them with a fork.

Assemble your bowl: Lentils, ground venison, brussel sprouts. Add a pinch of salt and white wine vinegar to taste. Slice up an avocado and a tomato, and top with a fried egg. Add another pinch of salt and white wine vinegar and some EVO if you wish!

Buon Appetito!

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