Before you freak out on me and remind me that cheese is not paleo, please understand that I am aware of that. But I also like to give gluten free people or less strict people different food options. If you want to freak out, go ahead, scream into a pillow that I am a fake and you hate me. It’s ok. Let it out. I’ll rub your back. Now we can move on! Hooray!
Do you think they get the audience drunk or high on The Price is Right before the show? I can’t imagine that many people would get that excited about that show. It honestly makes no sense to me. I just saw a probably 24 year old newlywed couple about sh*t the bed when the husband got picked. You’re 24 years old and you’re freaking out about being on The Price is Right. I know they give the audience drugs. I just know it.
I think my Vegas bloat finally set in. Eating at restaurants for 3 days straight almost gets exhausting. The salt and weird oils I must have ingested are catching up to me. Not only do I feel like a little dough boy, but I swear I can’t breathe as well. Have you ever had that? Where you feel like you’re too full that you can’t take a full breath in? No? Whatever. I mean, I’m not complaining, but I like breathing. It’s pretty cool. So I’m hoping this bloat goes away soon. It probably would help if I weren’t creating recipes such as double chocolate muffins (recipe coming soon) and stuffing the batter into my face, but those are unrealistic goals. I love tasting the batter and risking salmonella. It’s like playing the game of life and winning when you don’t get sick.
Whoa. My brain is weird today.
Speaking of bloat, with this Valentine’s Day coming up, I’m ABSOLUTELY craving red velvet cake. Or red velvet pancakes. Or red velvet pancakes. I don’t really know what it is about red velvet, I mean it’s just red food coloring that’s added to cake mix, but they somehow taste so much better than regular cake. Anywho, I won’t be consuming red velvet cake for Vday, but I do know what I plan on making. Here’s the plan. Since I just got back from Vegas, I’m definitely not interested in going out to eat. So I just plan on putting on a new Netflix show and making something really exciting: quesadillas. You’re about to freak out on me again, but whatever. I found these gluten free tortillas at Sprouts called Potapas that are made from potatoes. They’re stupid amazing. So I’m going to make the boyfriend and I some slamming quesadillas. Then I’m going to top the night off with some Cappello’s cookies from their freeze and bake cookie dough. It’s to die for. Best paleo cookie dough AND cookies on the market. Period. It’s going to be a Valentine’s Day for the books. Whatever that means.
So, what are you making for this Vday? No matter if you hate it, you have to eat something delicious that day. You just have to. Now spill the beans on the goodies you’ll be consuming. Spill those beans!
Artichoke Lemon Pesto Lasagna (not strict paleo)
- Yield: 3-4 1x
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons cooking fat (butter, olive oil, coconut oil, etc.)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed in small pieces (or chicken thighs, if you prefer)
- 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 cup button mushrooms, roughly chopped
- 12–15 artichoke hearts, cut in half (I used canned artichoke hearts)
- ⅓ cup walnuts
- 1 garlic clove
- 4–5 tablespoons olive oil (add more for a more runny pesto)
- 4–5 tablespoons vegetable broth (add more for a more runny pesto)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup fresh parsley
- ½ cup fresh basil
- juice of 1 lemon
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 (12 ounce) package of Cappello’s lasagna sheets
- 1–2 cup freshly shredded raw cheese (I used Kerrygold cheddar cheese) -optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8×8 glass baking dish.
- Place a large pan over medium-high heat. Add cooking fat and garlic cloves. Once garlic becomes fragrant, add cubed chicken and onion to the pan and cook until cooked through and no pink remains. Once chicken is almost done cooking, add mushrooms to cook for just a minute or so.
- Remove mixture from pan and place in a bowl and set aside.
- Place the large pan back over medium-high heat and add the halved artichokes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and let cook until slightly browned and tender on all sides.
- Once artichokes are browned, add them to a food processor along with the walnuts, garlic clove, olive oil, and vegetable broth. Puree until smooth.
- Then add the parsley, basil, lemon, and salt and pepper. Puree once more until smooth. Taste and add more lemon and salt and pepper to your preference. If you want a more runny pesto consistency, add more olive oil and vegetable broth at this point.
- Once pesto is done pureeing, add the pesto to the bowl full of chicken and mix well.
- Now line the baking dish with two lasagna sheet (you may need to cut them to size, as needed). Add a place spoonful of the chicken mixture and spread out, then sprinkle with shredded cheese on top. Then another layer of sheets, chicken, and cheese. The top layer should be lasagna strips, topped with the last of the chicken mixture and some extra cheese on top.
- Cover the dish with foil and place in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Then remove the foil and let sit under the boiler for 2-3 minutes until the cheese bubbles and browns.
- Remove from oven, lightly cover with foil to help keep warm and let rest for about 5 minutes before slicing.
_____________
So You’re Not that Strict Yo:
Creamy Rosemary Chicken Lasagna (gluten free, not strict paleo)
Meatball Cups (not strict paleo – gluten free)
______________
Click Here To Get All My PaleOMG Recipes Into Your Meal Planner With Real Plans!
I may be compensated through my affiliate links in this post, but all opinions are my own. This compensation helps with expenses to keep this blog up and running!
“scream into a pillow that I am a fake and you hate me. It’s ok. Let it out. I’ll rub your back”
Choked on my coffee with laughter… this blog is the best. thank you for all the food and laughs.
Happy VDay!
Haha I did the same exact thing! My laptop is sticky. Also… I used Almond cheese (had to for lactose intolerant bf) and it was super tasty 🙂
The boyfriend?? Details please! As a devoted reader of your blog, I feel the need to be nosy. You don’t have to share, but details would make my otherwise very boring life, a tad bit more exciting!
lol he’s a great guy and he’s from the past 🙂
OMG (no pun intended) I thought I missed a blog or something.. Thanks for asking what I was thinking
I thought I must’ve missed the BF post, but apparently this is your sneaky way of just throwing it in there. Thanks for the laughs and the yummy food!
Happy Valentine’s Day!
My fiance and I are running the “Sweetheart Run” early Saturday morning, so we are making Saturday our Valentine’s day. We are also staying home and watching a movie after preparing a couple of T-bone steaks with a garlic balsamic reduction, with some roasted potatoes and veggies. And some chocolate covered strawberries and roasted pineapple for dessert! I’m so excited!
I love how you slyly slipped “the boyfriend” in there. I mean, I have suspected for weeks that you rekindled with your old flame…but now I feel that is confirmation. Gosh I’m a stalker. #sorrynotsorry also???I think Drew Carey ruined the price is right,
Ha!!!
Jill, I have you beat in the stalkerville department…see I already knew that because there was a slipped comment a few posts back the the move was a move-in with the BF…ugh, now I sound totally creepy… 😉
BTW-Valentine’s dinner is going to be apple-bourbon braised bacon a’la The Domestic Man, but not because it’s Valentine’s Day (can’t stand this “holiday”) but because it’s Friday and I always make something nice for the family or we go out for pizza and beer. Aaaand since my autoimmune protocol allows absolutely nothing about pizza beer, braised bacon is the consolation. Wah, I know…
This recipe looks awesome and will be made this weekend for the hubs and kid who can actually digest things like Capello’s pasta and garlic. Yay for them!
ha!! you ladies! I love it!
whoa whoa whoa! hold up! The move was a move-in with the bf?? I feel I have failed as a stalker. I figured it out because she tagged him in a pic on IG and I remembered the tag name from when he gave her the bike (a classy romantic move btw). Must slow down my reading so I don’t miss the good deets!
Lol I’ve kept relationship stuff quiet for a whole now
we love artichokes. now we have another reason to love them even more 🙂 this is incredible.
My husband and I are also staying in Friday night and making our own yummy Vday meal! The restaurants are always packed on Valentine’s Day which is no fun, plus I have to run 13 miles Saturday morning for my marathon training. We are going to pick up some good steaks at Whole Foods and make roasted acorn squash and brussels – yum!
Do you think making this with zucchini noodles would ruin this dish? That’s usually how I make lasagna these days and really need to eat this!!
Probably! It will just be more wet because of the zucchini
Caught the boyfriend comment too and in the Vegas post about the boys. The whole family is having a candlelit dinner (complete with a printed menu). We are having a spinach and cranberry salad, onion and apple sauce pork loin, cauli-mash, and a coconut cream pie.
First: Love your blog — following it for a year now. Had to comment, a few years ago I was an audience member of the Price is Right (age: 22). No drugs, but you’re definitely on your second wind after standing in line for hours before the show tapes. It’s insane…they coach you how to cheer and clap as the show goes on. I still have my episode on the DVR as my claim to fame.
that’s absolutely hilarious
Thanks for the recipe and hilarity as per ush. Yes, I unfortunately know the bloat you’re talking about and yes I too often risk salmonella (and win 😉 hollerr). Flex your abs and do some yoga breaths – that’s what I do to kill the bloat. For Valentine’s day, let’s see … haven’t thought about my food yet. It will probably involve bacon though. Found the most delicious Trader Joe’s Uncured Black Forest Bacon. Omg I hope you’ve had it – if not, you have to try!