Matcha and Margs

recipes

Miso Ginger Chicken Thighs (Paleo)

dinner, recipes

Has anyone else experienced a rut with chicken? This happens to me all the time. This protein has the tendency to be overcooked easily, and I am not a fan of dried out chicken. Enter my new favorite chicken product, chicken thighs. They are packed with flavor, healthy fats, and are a lot more satisfying to me than chicken breasts. Incorporating the thighs into my diet always help me get me back on the chicken loving train.

Chicken thighs are great on their own cooked with olive oil and minimal spices. You probably know I have been obsessing over all of the Asian-inspired recipes lately if you follow me on Instagram. It was only a matter of time before I came up with an Asian marinade! The chicken thighs are baked in the oven which makes for quick and easy clean up. The baking method also helps make the chicken thighs extremely crispy.

The flavor of the miso and the ginger comes from the Ginger Bou Miso Broth cubes. All of their broth cubes are great for cooking soups, stews, and so on. You can make sauces or pastes with them, which is how I created this recipe. You’ll need 1/4 cup of hot water to dissolve the cubes in. The mix will turn into a delicious, thick miso paste after mixing the water thoroughly. This paste is complimented by sesame oil, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, rice wine vinegar and date syrup. It makes a delicious chicken thigh marinade.

Recipe:

Miso Ginger Chicken Thighs (Paleo)

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Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 44 mins
Total Time 54 mins
Course Dinner
Cuisine Asian-inspired

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cubes Bou Miso Ginger
  • 1/4 cup hot water
  • 3 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce can sub coconut aminos or tamari
  • pinch of sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes can add more if you like it spicier!
  • 1 tbsp date syrup

Instructions
 

  • Dissolve and mix the Bou Miso Ginger cubes into 1/4 cup of hot water. Make sure everything is combined and that there are no clumps. It should resemble a sauce or paste. 
  • In a bowl, mix together the miso and water sauce combination, the soy sauce, the sesame oil, salt, red pepper flakes, rice vinegar and date syrup.
  • Put the chicken in a container or bag to marinade in the sauce. Make sure the sauce covers all of the pieces of chicken. 
  • Marinate the chicken in the sauce overnight in the refrigerator. If you do not have enough time, you can marinate in the refrigerator for an hour, but I do not recommend doing it for much shorter. 
  • When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 425F. 
  • Place your chicken on an oven rack stacked on top of your oven-safe pan. The oven rack will help the chicken get crispier.
  • Top the chicken thoroughly with sesame seeds. 
  • Bake the chicken for 22 minutes, flip, and bake for an additional 22 minutes. 
  • Top the chicken with sesame seeds and chopped green onions. Taste great over rice or on its own! 

The recipe suggest that you leave the chicken thighs marinating in the sauce overnight so that the chicken can truly pick up all of the flavors. If you don’t have enough time, you can marinade them for an hour in the fridge. I do not recommend going much shorter than that. Once they are done, I love topping them with more sesame seeds and lots of chopped green onion!

Lastly, let me know if you decide to make the Miso Ginger chicken thighs and I would absolutely love to hear what you think! If you remake them on Instagram, remember to tag me at @matcha_and_margs so I can send the love and support right back. Enjoy! 

xo,

Cori

“Cheesy” Paleo Egg Muffins (Gf, Df)

breakfast, recipes

I’m definitely more of a savory girl when it comes to breakfast. Give me all of the eggs, bacon, potatoes; you name it. When it comes to bringing breakfast on the go, it definitely can be easier to throw in a yogurt or a bar. I do this more often than I’d like to, which is why I created these delicious, Paleo egg muffins with a hint of “cheesiness”!

The hidden stars of the show in these Paleo egg muffins are the coconut milk and nutritional yeast. They add an amazing layer of creamy, “cheesiness” behind the scenes. Nutritional yeast is a deactivated yeast that adds a delicious flavor of cheese to dishes without adding dairy. It is extremely popular in vegan dishes and products. Although this dish is not vegan, it still adds an incredible flavor that you won’t want to miss!

There are an abundance of veggies included which helps round these muffins out to be a great balanced breakfast option. They’re packed with all the healthy fats to keep you full throughout the morning. That is definitely a required quality for my breakfast choices each morning. My favorite part about the muffins are that they are extremely customizable. If you don’t like chicken sausage, leave it out. Love tomatoes? You can add those in too! The base of this recipe is a great vehicle for you to make your own version of breakfast in the size of a muffin.

Recipe:

“Cheesy” Paleo Egg Muffins (Gf, Df)

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Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

  • 10 pasture raised eggs I use Vital Farms
  • 1/3 cup coconut milk
  • 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1 cup mushrooms chopped
  • 1/2 cup yellow onion chopped
  • 2 handfuls baby kale
  • 2 links chicken sausage I used Applegate brand pre cooked Chicken & Apple sausage
  • 1 tbsp avocado oil I use Chosen Foods
  • 1 clove garlic

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400F.
  • Heat a pan with the avocado oil. Add the garlic and onions and saute until translucent. Add in the mushrooms and cook for about 4 minutes. Then, add in the kale and cook until wilted.
  • In a large mixing bowl, crack in the eggs and whisk until combined. Add in the coconut milk and nutritional yeast and whisk again. Then, add in the cooked vegetables and chopped chicken sausage links.
  • Add salt and pepper to the mix to preference. I used about 1/2 tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp of black pepper, roughly. Make sure everything is mixed together.
  • Place the mix into silicone baking liners in a muffin pan and fill the liners about 3/4 of the way. Bake on 400F for 20 minutes. The recipe makes around 15 muffins, so you will have to fill and bake twice. If you want less, half the recipe! This recipe serves two for the week. Enjoy!
Keyword Breakfast, Dairy Free, Egg, Egg Muffins, Gluten Free, Healthy breakfast, Meal prep, Paleo

To note, I made these using silicone baking liners, which I have linked here. I highly recommend using these as they make clean up so much easier. Anything to help simplify my time in the kitchen is always a win for me.

Let me know if you decide to make the Paleo egg muffins and I would absolutely love to hear what you think! Leave a comment below if you add anything, as I would love to hear how it turns out for you. If you remake it on Instagram, remember to tag me at @matcha_and_margs so I can send the love and support right back. Enjoy 🙂

xo,

Cori

Pumpkin Seed and Arugula Vegan Pesto (Nut Free)

dinner, lunch, recipes

When I first started eating “healthy”, nutritional labels ruled me. In my head, pestos were a no go being that it had over twenty plus grams of fat. This is definitely a longer story that has a happy ending which I will save it for a blog post of its own. I ended up teaching myself all about nutrition, the important of ingredients, and the significance of healthy fats in our bodies. It was not something I learned over night, but I am so relieved I am at the point I am at today. I value ingredients and food quality, not numbers. Personally, my body now thrives off of all the healthy fats. This vegan pesto is one of my favorite ways to incorporate them.

If pesto was a food group, it would definitely be my favorite one. I am obsessed with the fresh flavor it adds to a variety dishes. The ingredients come together so well and truly add a whole extra layer of flavor. It is an extremely versatile sauce and can be made using many different ingredients. Noodles are my favorite vehicle to enjoy them on, but it is also great cooked on top of salmon.

The vegan pesto on Banza chickpea pasta Cavatappi noodles

I love to experiment with different pesto recipes while using nutritional yeast as a replacement for cheese, making it a dairy free pesto. This version of vegan pesto is nut free, as it uses Bob’s Red Mill’s pumpkin seeds. Many arugula based pesto recipes use the arugula as a replacement for basil, but I love the combination of the two. Basil is one of my favorite herbs, so I definitely did not want to eliminate it here.

Recipe:

Pumpkin Seed and Arugula Vegan Pesto

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Cook Time 3 mins
Course Dinner, Sauce
Cuisine Italian

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup basil tightly packed
  • 2 tbsp avocado oil
  • 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds I use Bob’s Red Mill
  • 1 cup arugula tightly packed
  • 4 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1/2 tsp Himalayan pink salt
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 3-5 tbsp water

Instructions
 

  • Put all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until it reaches your desired consistency. You can add less water if you like it thicker and more creamy.
  • You can enjoy on pastas, on your eggs, on toast, etc! 
Keyword Arugula, Pasta, Pesto, Vegan, Vegan Pasta

Let me know if you decide to make the vegan pesto and I would absolutely love to hear what you think! Leave a comment below if you add anything, as I would love to hear how it turns out for you. If you remake it on Instagram, remember to tag me at @matcha_and_margs so I can send the love and support right back. Enjoy 🙂

xo,

Cori

Greek Pasta Salad (Gf, Df)

lunch, recipes

Lately, I’ve been obsessing over pasta salads. A lot of my day to day is spent on the go, so I am all about healthy lunch ideas that are easy to transport. I don’t enjoy spending hours in the kitchen when it comes to meal prep, and this recipe could not be easier to whip together. Pasta salads don’t require any additional heating when consuming and they are extremely versatile when it comes to ingredients. They pack in a ton of protein, which is always a plus for me. Mediterranean salads are my absolute favorite, so I thought I’d make them more enticing by adding noodles to the mix! This Greek Pasta is delicious when made with legume-based pasta, which keeps you fuller longer than regular pastas. What’s not to love?!

The olives, cucumbers, and tomatoes come together with the oil and spices to make a delicious, Greek inspired meal. I love to add a lot of arugula to the mix as well. It is my favorite green and adds a really nice flavoring. Being that I have a dairy intolerance, I have not included cheese in this recipe. If you do not need a dairy free recipe, you can absolutely add in some feta! Additionally, some toppings that would be great in this Greek pasta salad include grilled chicken, shrimp, avocado, hemp seeds, etc.

Let me know if you decide to make the Greek pasta salad and I would absolutely love to hear what you think! Leave a comment below if you add anything, as I would love to hear how it turns out for you. If you remake it on Instagram, remember to tag me at @matcha_and_margs so I can send the love and support right back. Enjoy 🙂

Recipe:

Greek Pasta Salad (Gf, Df)

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Prep Time 2 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
Total Time 12 mins
Course Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine Mediterranean
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 1 box gluten free pasta I like using legume based pastas!
  • 3 tbsp avocado oil
  • 1 tbsp oregano
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp pink Himalayan salt I use Redmond’s Real Salt
  • 3.5 oz can sliced black olives
  • 1 cup cherry heirloom tomatoes chopped
  • 2 Persian cucumbers chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups arugula

Instructions
 

  • Cook the pasta according to the package and strain. Run cold water through the pasta so that it does not stick together.
  • Immediately after, add the avocado oil and seasonings to the pasta. Stir until evenly distributed.
  • Add in the olives, tomatoes, cucumbers and arugula and mix. 
  • You can add any additional toppings — would be good with chicken, feta, avocado, hemp seeds, etc. Enjoy!
Keyword Convenient, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Greek, Mediterranean, On the go, Pasta, Pasta Salad

Quinoa Kale Pizza Bites (Gf, Df)

dinner, lunch, recipes

Quinoa is one of my favorite grains; I love the texture and how versatile it is. My go-to recipe is a jam packed quinoa salad, but I thought it would be fun to switch it up and make some quinoa bites! These are great for on the go eating, for kids and adults alike, etc. They are delicious dipped in a bowl of marinara sauce, alongside more greens, and with lots of fresh basil on top. These are vegetarian, but you could definitely add pepperoni, chicken sausage, or your favorite meaty pizza toppings.

The bites were made with Nature’s Greens Kale Greens. Their pre-washed greens have been amazing to use in my recipes and beyond. I trust all of their products, being that there are no added preservatives or chemicals. They triple wash their greens, which I really appreciate! If you are local to Atlanta, I have found some of their products at Sprouts and Whole Foods. I have another recipe on my blog that I created with their delicious mustard greens; my Chicken Sausage Noodle Soup with Mustard Greens. Click here for the recipe!

In addition, I added olives and onions to the mix; my personal favorite pizza toppings. I used dairy free cheese, but regular cheese would work just as well. I have tested these with little blocks of Miyoko’s vegan mozzarella and they came out awesome. You can definitely get creative here by using your favorite toppings!

Quinoa Kale Pizza Bites

The quinoa bites taste amazing with fresh basil on top.

Lastly, let me know if you decide to make it and I would absolutely love to hear what you think! If you remake on Instagram, remember to tag me at @matcha_and_margs so I can send the love and support right back. Enjoy! 

the quinoa bites:

Quinoa Kale Pizza Bites (Gf, Df)

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Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 40 mins
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
  • 1/3 cup marinara sauce
  • 1/3 cup shredded vegan cheese can use regular as well
  • 1/3 cup chopped black olives
  • 2 pasture raised eggs
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp pink salt
  • 1 cup chopped mushrooms
  • 1 cup Nature’s Greens Kale Greens
  • 1 tbsp avocado oil

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400F.
  • Heat avocado oil on medium heat in a pan and add the mushrooms and kale. Sauté them until they are completely cooked. 
  • In a large bowl, add the cooked quinoa, marinara sauce, cheese, eggs, seasonings and cooked veggies. Mix until everything is combined evenly. 
  • Line a muffin tray and spray each of the muffin tins. Add the mixture evenly into the tins. 
  • Cook on 400F for 20 minutes and serve with more heated marinara sauce for dipping! 

This post has been sponsored by Nature Greens, but all of the opinions and reviews are wholeheartedly my own! 

xo,

Cori