Chef Nelli G, LLC

05/31/2023

One thing I like to do after a holiday with lots of decadent food is reset. I do this by intentionally eating more nutrient dense foods and meals like avocado toast and increasing my water intake even more. I already drink 90+ ounces of water a day. 😂💦

05/30/2023

Happy

01/18/2023

Every year on my birthday, Krispy Kreme gives me a free dozen original glazed donuts. (If you didn’t know that, you’re welcome 😄). But we can never finish the box before they go stale. So I decided to start playing with recipes that would allow me to use the entire dozen….I introduce to you, lemon blueberry Krispy Kreme donut bread pudding made with fresh blueberries and a homemade lemon curd. And it SMACKS!!! This is definitely a once a year indulgence because the way them calories and my metabolism are set up. 🤣🤣🤣

09/07/2022

…Because salads topped with fruit SLAP!!!

05/16/2022

So let’s get into it…Had anyone told me that I would become a lover of , I would’ve said they were mistaken. Literally up until this year, the thought of cold “oatmeal” was not appealing to me. Now, I’m obsessed with them! They’re so delicious and super easy to make!

Chef Nelli’s Overnight Oats:

Ingredients:
- 1/2 Cup of Rolled Oats (NOT instant oatmeal)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons of Greek Yogurt
- 1 1/2 cups of Oat milk (or Almond milk)
- 1 tablespoon of Honey
- 1/2 teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 teaspoon of Ground Cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon of Chia seeds (or Flaxseeds)
- Whatever fruits you like (We love strawberries, blueberries and bananas for this recipe)
- Whatever nuts you like (We love candied pecans, almonds and walnuts for this recipe)

Side Notes: If you enjoy coconut, try a little shredded coconut on top with the rest of your fruit. Also, if you don’t have them, invest in the glass meal prep/storage Pyrex containers with the plastic airtight tops. They are great for this recipe!

Directions:
At night, preferably right before bed, put your oats, yogurt & milk in the glass container and mix it up well so that everything is well incorporated. Then put the airtight container lid on and place it in the fridge overnight. When you wake up in the morning and are ready to eat, take it out of the refrigerator, mix in the honey, cinnamon & vanilla extract. Get your fruit, nuts & seeds, place them on top of the overnight oats and drizzle with a little more honey and enjoy!

It’s super easy and divine! Let me know if y’all try this recipe and how you like it!

05/13/2022

So let’s get into it!..I’m a nut fanatic! I love pistachios, cashews, almonds, and I especially love candied/glazed pecans!! I got tired of buying those grossly overpriced, tiny bags of glazed pecans so I decided to start making my own. These pecans are so delicious and they can be eaten in so many ways; on oatmeal, salads or by themselves.

Chef Nelli’s Candied Pecans

Ingredients:
- 2 cups of pecan halves
- 6 tablespoons of brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt (preferably fine sea salt or pink Himalayan salt)
- 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tablespoons of water
- 2 teaspoons of freshly grated orange zest (optional)
- pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

Side Notes: I’ve tried this recipe with and without the orange zest and cayenne pepper and this recipe is so much better with the orange zest and cayenne pepper.

Also, you will be using the baking sheet twice so don’t thrown out the foil until after you break apart your candied pecans and have placed them in a storage container.

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Place 2 cups of pecan halves on a foil or parchment lined baking sheet (makes for easy cleanup).
- Bake pecans for 8-10 minutes or until they are visibly darker and they smell nutty. Make sure to turn/shake them up at the 4-5 minute mark to prevent them from burning.
- Set the toasted pecans aside to cool.
- In the meantime, to a medium skillet (or pan, whichever you have), add all of the ingredients except the nuts (the brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, cayenne pepper, vanilla extract, water and orange zest). Cook on medium heat for 1-2 minutes until the sugar has dissolved and completely melted into a bubbling sauce.
- Gently stir in the toasted pecans until they are completely coated.
- Put the coated pecans back onto the foil lined baking sheet and allow them to cool for 20-30 minutes.
- The pecans will look like a brittle after completely cooled, at which time you can break them apart and store them in an airtight container.

* Pecans should last 2-3 weeks in a cool, dry area (like a pantry), and longer if you decide to refrigerate them.

05/10/2022

05/10/2022

Sometimes you just really want some french toast…and you don’t want to wait until Weekend Brunch to do so. 😆🍞🍓🍳🥓

🎵 Tekno - Enjoy

05/10/2022

Random Tip that I came across a while back online: After you wash your strawberries, place them in a mason jar (or any other airtight jar), pop them in the fridge and you’ll extend their shelf life. This is my 3rd time doing it and they last WAAAAAAY longer than if you just keep them in that stupid plastic container they come in!!! I got an extra week out of them! Possibly longer, I don’t know. We ate them all up 😆…I haven’t tried any other berries yet so don’t ask because I don’t know. 🤣🤷🏽‍♀️

03/16/2022

I’ve always preferred to move in silence. 😎
Check me out in Voyage ATL’s Shoutout Atlanta talking about the importance of work-life balance, with a special guest appearance by Little Miss Olivia Grace. She loved this photo shoot. I think we may have a little star on our hands. The COMPLETE opposite of me. 😂🤩

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nellisha Gregory-Okunola and we've shared our conversation below. Hi Nellisha, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance? My work life balance has changed drastically over the years, especially now that I am a Mom. I used to b

02/06/2022

for the win!

01/31/2022

01/31/2022

I wanted Chinese takeout for dinner last night but our favorite spot is no longer open on Sundays…So I made it…all from scratch…even the Crab Rangoon, and it was my first time making them. It was surprisingly easy and they were so damn good I didn’t even need a dipping sauce. My tastebuds have definitely changed since my younger days. I was never a fan of Crab Rangoon or imitation crab meat but here we are. 😂
- Sesame Orange chicken ✅
- Veggie Fried Rice ✅
- Shrimp Egg Rolls ✅
- Crab Rangoon ✅

11/07/2021

There’s always room for cake…especially when it’s made from scratch! 🥰❤️

08/06/2021

I was hoping I wouldn’t have to but I knew I’d have to write this email eventually. Please stop wasting small business owners’ time and taking advantage of our kindness. It’s not a good look. God Bless! 🙏🏽❤️

08/06/2021

I was hoping I wouldn’t have to but I knew I’d have to write this email eventually. Please stop wasting small business owner’s time and taking advantage of our kindness. It’s not a good look. God Bless! 🙏🏽❤️

08/05/2021

I made these on Tuesday night for dinner and they came out SO good!!! This recipe is so great for a busy weekday, especially if your kid(s) has started school already, as most of the cooking is done in the slow cooker/Crock Pot. If you decide to try it, let me know how it turns out!

Ingredients:
- 2 lb Chuck Roast or Tender Roast (give or take a pound, depending on the size of your family)
- Hoagie or Sub Rolls
- 1-2 Tablespoons of Light Olive Oil (or whichever cooking oil you prefer)
- Sliced Peperoncini Peppers (and 1/2 cup of the peperoncini pepper brine)
- Salt
- Black Pepper
- 1 Packet of Au Jus Gravy
- 1 Packet (or 2-3 Tablespoons) of Ranch Seasoning
- 1 Can of French Onion Soup
- 1/2 cup of Water
- 4 Tablespoons of Butter
- Provolone Cheese
- Sliced Mushrooms (Optional)

Directions:
Heat a skillet on high heat and add oil. Season chuck roast with salt and pepper (to taste) on both sides. Sear roast on all sides (about 2 minutes per side).

Remove the roast from the skillet to a slow cooker. Pour the water into the hot skillet and stir with a spoon to deglaze the bottom of the pan. Pour the liquid from the pan into the slow cooker with the chuck roast.

Into the slow cooker with the roast and pan juices, add the remaining ingredients (mushrooms optional). Stir the liquid and seasonings around a bit, making sure to coat the chuck roast with the mixture. Place the butter directly on top of the roast and put the slow cooker lid on. Cook on low for 8 hours.

After 8 hours:
Take tongs, a fork, whatever utensil you have and shred the roast in the crock pot.

Toast your hoagie/sub rolls in the oven, under the broiler for about 30 seconds. PLEASE do not walk away or you will have burnt @$$ bread, I promise you! 🤣

Take the toasted rolls and top them with the shredded chuck roast and provolone cheese. Put the sandwiches (open-faced) back into the oven, under the broiler for another 30 seconds-1 minute until the cheese is melted. Again, don’t walk away!

Remove the sandwiches from the oven and plate them. Put some of the gravy from the slow cooker in small bowls and serve alongside the sandwiches. Dip and enjoy!

07/02/2021

06/30/2021

Come check out this awesome event and support your girl!!! I will be selling some delicious goodies! You don’t want to miss out! Saturday, July 10th from 12N-4PM.

06/23/2021

In my own little [cooking] 🌍 and I love it here.

04/02/2021

Homemade with ...Like me, they’re a lot of work but SO worth it!!! 🥰😋

04/01/2021

in a sherry cream sauce...This is one of those meals that just happened...It just happened to only take 10 minutes to make (and thank God because Mama is tired). It just happened to be easy to make because I had all the ingredients in the fridge and pantry. It just happened to be vegetarian...and it just happens to be 🔥🔥🔥!!

Ingredients:
- Extra light olive oil (better for sautéing and frying)
- Garlic
- Butter
- Sherry cooking wine
- Half & Half
- Store-bought ravioli or tortellini (your brand and filling of choice)
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Thyme
- Nutmeg
- Parmesan Cheese
- Parsley

Directions:

Bring some water to a boil for your ravioli.

In the meantime...

Crush/finely chop your garlic, and sauté it along with the thyme & nutmeg in about a tablespoon of olive oil, in another pot/pan/whatever you got, for a about a minute on low-medium heat (this part goes really quick so don’t blink or you’ll burn your garlic 😂).

**Notice I didn’t specify seasoning amounts because I’m an “eyeball it” kinda girl. Or I just stop when my ancestors tell me that’s enough. 🤣 Also, seasoning should be done according to you and your family’s taste. We LOVE garlic so I always use an abundance of fresh garlic in dishes...Moving on.

To your pan of sautéed garlic and toasted spices, add in a pat of butter, A SPLASH of sherry, the half & half (about a cup), salt and black pepper. Cook the sauce for a few minutes on medium heat until it starts to thicken.

**Your water should be boiling by now so throw in the ravioli and cook according to the package directions, usually about 4 min.

Stir your sauce periodically while your ravioli is cooking.

When done, take the ravioli straight out of the boiling water with a slotted spoon, and place it into the sauce.

GENTLY coat your ravioli in the sauce. Top with parmesan cheese and parsley.

Plate it up and eat! 😋🤸🏽‍♀️❤️

03/06/2021

...Another busy Mama who wanted to treat her family to a home cooked meal. I love all my clients but being a busy Mama myself, busy parents have a special place in my heart. Sometimes there just aren’t enough hours in the day and fast food gets old, fast! 😂 Also, sometimes you’re just craving something but have no clue how to make it. Either way, that’s when I step in. 😉🥰

02/20/2021

Up, doing what I love this morning. Fulfilling orders in the kitchen while watching my little family play in the living room. 🥰❤️👩🏽‍🍳 🥰😄🙌🏽

09/26/2015

Working OT at my job while drawing up three menus for my career...tailgating party menu, childrens' birthday party menu, and a Thanksgiving dinner menu.