This traditional meatloaf recipe has a lovely texture, just the right blend of hearty density and tender, moist delicacy. Delicious with ratatouille and garlic mashed potatoes, and very simple to throw together. If you love meatloaf but are looking for a slightly more calorie-conscious version, check out my Meatloaf Muffins recipe instead.
Meatloaf Muffins
A handy way to meal-prep your protein portions for an On-Protocol week on The Balanced Burn, or for everyday eating! They taste equally good both reheated or cold, so they are a really low-fuss option for taking to work for lunch, and pack about 30 grams of protein per serving with less than 7 grams of fat and 5 grams of net carbs.
Ratatouille
My favourite way to “eat the rainbow” and get a wide variety of colourful vegetables in one dish, this simple dish is one of my top picks for cooked vegetables. It’s great alongside any number of different protein options - pan roasted chicken breast, steak, roast lamb, meatloaf, grilled prawns…its versatile flavours make it an easy pairing with almost anything.
I credit one of my favourite Chef-Instructors back in culinary school, Chef Serge Devesa, for introducing me to the wonders of ratatouille, and how just a handful of humble ingredients, judicious use of just a few herbs and seasonings, and patience to let the flavours develop could produce something marvelous!
This high-fibre, nutrient dense but low calorie side dish is an excellent choice for On-Protocol weeks, but sacrifices no flavour and requires no changes vs. Maintenance / regular eating.
Guilt-Free Caesar-Style Dressing
Craving a Caesar salad but want to stay On-Protocol? This lightened-up Caesar dressing is the perfect way to indulge without compromise. Creamy and flavourful, this dressing pairs beautifully with a chicken or prawn Caesar salad, delivering all the satisfaction you love while keeping your meals lean and clean.
With only 13 calories per 2-tablespoon serving, it’s a fantastic option for your favorite greens or as a zesty dip for vegetables. It may not be the heavy, classic Caesar of your dreams, but it’s a guilt-free way to elevate your meals and hit your daily nutritional targets. Prep a batch to keep your salads exciting all week long—because delicious doesn’t have to mean off-track.
Guilt-Free Ranch-Style Dressing
Looking for a guilt-free way to enjoy creamy Ranch dressing without derailing your diet?
This low-calorie alternative is the perfect dip for veggies or dressing for salads, delivering a burst of flavour and a satisfying texture to liven up your meals. While it’s not an exact match for the rich, indulgent original, this recipe is a fantastic way to stay On-Protocol and hit your daily servings of vegetables with ease.
Whether you're meal-prepping for the week or just need a quick, healthy accompaniment to your favorite greens, this dressing has your back—no compromise necessary!
I’m still tweaking the recipe to really dial in the flavour, but it’s quite tasty as-is.
Braised Beef and Vegetables
Low Carb Chili Con Carne
This recipe is a modification of my original chili recipe (which you can find here) to drastically reduce the starchy carb content, making it suitable for eating during On-Protocol weeks during our 12-week weight loss program, The Balanced Burn.
The aim here was to maintain the same flavour and overall volume of food to make this chili just as satisfying as the original, but substituting chopped cauliflower for the beans to drop the carb content and adding in the previously-optional chopped greens to amp the veggie content up even more.
Again, chili purists will be up in arms over the inclusion of some of the ingredients, but this recipe ain’t about “chili perfection”, it’s about having a delicious meal option while pursuing a calorie deficit. 😉
Carrot Soup (AKA Potage Crécy)
Adapted from James Peterson’s excellent book, “Splendid Soups”, this is one of our household’s favourite soups.
It’s quite a versatile base soup that allows for some very easy to implement flavour variations with different spices added when cooking, or garnishes or stir-ins when serving.
While the rice or potatoes included in the recipe may preclude it from being a good fit for On-Protocol weeks in The Balanced Burn, it is a great option for Maintenance and everyday eating as a starter or as part of your meal alongside some lean protein and other sides.
Hungarian Goulash
This low-carb version of Hungarian goulash delivers a hearty, savoury meal with protein options from traditional chunky beef to lean ground beef or chicken. Ideal for On-Protocol weeks in The Balanced Burn program, it omits potatoes but keeps classic flavours. For Maintenance, enjoy with crusty bread and richer meats, with options to boost protein or add greens for extra nutrition.
Minty Chia and Berries Yogurt Bowl
Tex-Mex Shredded Beef and Master Stock
I’ve had a few requests for this recipe when clients have come into the house and smelled it cooking, so here it is!
The beef is poached in a flavourful stock until fork-tender, and then shredded for use in whatever dish you like - tacos or taco salad, burritos, nachos…it works well for all of them. It’s really simple to prepare, and can be ready in about an hour. The secret to the outstanding flavour is to make it repeatedly using the same master stock.
Coach JP's Famous Chili
Originally published in 2013 (the first recipe I published!) and last updated in September 2021, this recipe was overdue for another update based on some more recent tweaks.
I use a slightly unusual combination of spices and herbs in my recipe that gives the chili a real depth and complexity of flavour that takes it beyond any store bought chili I've ever had. Chili purists will balk at the inclusion of beans, and while this recipe *could* be made bean-free, it is intended to be a complete meal in a bowl, so a starchy carb element is a key component.
This is real, whole food with lots of protein, veggies and high-fibre starchy carbs, so it doesn’t really need any “pseudo-healthy” window dressing!
With the relatively high proportion of starchy carbs, this is best used as a post-workout meal, but if your carb intake is reasonable otherwise, go ahead and have this whenever. It can also be made ahead and the excess portions frozen for later use with good results.
Sourdough Discard Biscuits
WOW - these were good! Best biscuits I’ve ever made, uses up some sourdough starter discard, and super easy as well.
Be warned, though - these are delicious for a once-in-a-while treat, but they have a LOT of butter in them, so shouldn’t be a regular feature. You will want them to be though…LOL!
This recipe is adapted from this one from King Arthur Baking Company, but modified to be proportional to the amount of discard sourdough starter you have on hand, and with some additional notes on the method I used.
Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
This is one of the most popular meals I make for larger family gatherings or social events, and is inspired by my Italian-Quebecois stepmother’s legendary pasta feasts.
The ingredients are relatively simple and inexpensive, and the process is pretty easy as well…or at least not very technical - there is a bit of work involved!
This makes a LOT of food (25-30 meatballs), so definitely share it with friends and family!
Sourdough Ligurian-Style Focaccia
Tortilla Soup
Sourdough Sandwich Buns
Lentil, Quinoa & Greens Soup
This recipe is a hybrid of a few different ones from across the internet, and can be made vegan or dairy-free by substituting coconut oil or vegetable oil for the ghee / clarified butter and using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
Packed with protein from the quinoa and lentils, and very tasty with a little spicy kick from curry powder and chili flakes, this soup is a definite winner! Even got the stamp of approval from my usually pretty picky eater, Kira. :)
Sourdough Starter
After watching the Netflix 4-part series "Cooked", based on the book by Michael Pollan of the same name, I got the itch to try making long-fermented sourdough bread to provide my girls with a healthier option for their school sandwiches (here's a good article that lays out the basics of why long-fermented sourdough is healthier, and here's another talking a bit about artisan breads, bakeries and sourdough benefits as well). The only ingredients in the bread I make now are water, flour, and salt.
Anyway, long story short, after playing around with a couple of different sets of instructions on how to get your own starter going, I settled on this method for starting and maintaining the starter (also known as "levain"), and have successfully done this for a couple of years now.
