Creamy Mustard Chicken & Broccolini

Ingredients:
1.5 lbs chicken tenderloins or 2 large chicken breasts cut into tenderloin type pieces.
salt & pepper to taste
1/4 cup flour
2-3 TBSP olive oil
1 lb broccolini, trimmed of leaves and 1/2 inch off the bottom and cut in half lengthwise
salted water (to blanch broccolini)
1 TBSP + olive oil
1 very large shallot - diced
2 cups chicken broth
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (or coconut cream)
2 TBSP dijon or spicy brown mustard

Preheat oven to "warm" setting or about 170.

Pat the chicken dry and sprinkle generously with salt & pepper, then dredge in flour.

In a large saucepan, heat 2 TBSP olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, making sure not to crowd the pan (you want it seared not steamed). Cook in batches if your pan isn't big enough).

Sear chicken about 4 minutes; flip and cook another 2-4 minutes until cooked through, adding more oil if necessary.

Transfer chicken to a sheet pan and put in warm oven.

While the chicken is cooking, bring a medium pot of salted water to a rolling boil over high heat. (Use at least 2 tsp salt). When the chicken is in the oven and the water is boiling, add the broccolini all at once. Cover and cook 2 minutes.

Add a tablespoon of oil to the hot chicken pan over medium-high heat. Transfer the broccolini from the water to the pan. Sauté for 1 minute, then remove to the pan with the chicken in the oven.

Add the shallots to the hot pan, salute 2-3 minutes until soft.

Stir in the chicken broth and thyme sprigs. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 3 minutes. Stir in cream and mustard. Simmer 5-6 minutes, until the sauce has reduced and thickened some. Remove from heat and discard thyme stems.

You can either add the warm chicken and broccolini to the pan or serve on a platter with the sauce over the top.

Allergy free Spinach & Artichoke Twice Baked Potatoes

Ingredients:

4 medium russet potatoes - washed
2-3 cups fresh spinach - chopped
7 oz artichoke hearts (1/2 of a can)
1/2 a medium onion - diced
2 garlic cloves - minced
1 small can coconut cream (5.3 oz)
1.5 TBSP fresh lemon juice
2 TBSP nutritional yeast
3 TBSP ghee, butter or coconut oil
sea salt to taste

Rub the potatoes with oil and salt - bake at 400 for about 1 hour or until soft inside.

When cooled enough to handle, cut the top off each potato lengthwise and scoop out the inside, leaving a thin outside layer. You will use the insides of 3 of the potatoes.

Heat a medium pan over medium heat and add 1 TBSP ghee/butter/oil. Add onions and cook until soft. Add garlic and cook just until soft.

Add the chopped spinach and artichoke hearts and cook until spinach is wilted. Add a sprinkle of salt and remove from heat.

Mash the insides of the potatoes with the coconut cream, lemon juice, yeast, 2 TBSP ghee/butter/oil and another sprinkle of salt.

Combine potato mixture with spinach mixture, then scoop into hollowed potatoes.

Bake at 400 for about 15-20 minutes or until they begin to lightly brown. Serve hot!

BBQ Chicken Tostadas

Ingredients:

8 tostada shells

3 cups cooked, shredded chicken

1.5 cups BBQ sauce of choice

2-2.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

3 green onions - thinly sliced

*optional sour cream, avocado, salsa toppings

Preheat your oven to 350. Lay out tostada shells on 2 baking sheets.

Combine chicken and 1 cup of the BBQ sauce in a bowl - stir to coat. 

Divide the cheese and chicken between the 8 shells. I put down a little cheese first, added chicken and then topped with a little more cheese. 

Bake until cheese is melted. Remove from oven and drizzle with remaining BBQ sauce. 

I also loaded mine with toppings! 

Cabbage & Beef Stir Fry

A simple, quick, change of pace stir fry.

Ingredients:
Sauce
4 TBSP soy sauce (or coconut aminos)
1.5 TBSP sesame oil
2 TBSP Sriracha sauce
1 rounded TBSP brown sugar

Stir Fry
1/2 head green cabbage - thinly sliced
2 carrots - grated
3 green onions - sliced
1/2 red bell pepper - sliced
1/2-1 lb lean ground beef
2 cloves garlic - minced
1 TBSP fresh grated ginger
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup fresh cilantro - chopped
1 TBSP sesame seeds

Whisk together the sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot add the ground beef, garlic, ginger and salt & pepper.  Cook until the beef is browned (I also drained off the fat).

Add the cabbage, carrots and bell pepper. Stir and cook until the cabbage starts to wilt. Remove from heat, stir in prepared sauce, green onions, cilantro and sesame seeds.

Eat immediately.

Mozzarella Marinara Chicken

Ingredients:
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp Italian seasoning
salt & pepper to taste
1 TBSP olive oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 jar of your favorite Marinara sauce
*chopped fresh basil (optional)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven broiler.

Combine seasonings in a dish and heat olive oil in a large pan over high heat. Season both sides of chicken breasts with seasoning mixture.

Add chicken to the pan and sear until golden - about 3 minutes each side.

If your skillet is oven safe, add marinara to pan and top with mozzarella & chopped basil. If not, pour marinara into a baking dish, add chicken and top with mozzarella and basil.

Broil until cheese is melted and chicken is cooked through, about 3-5 minutes.

Garnish with parmesan. Serve over pasta, rice or zoodles!

Soda Bread Biscuits

Mix 2 cups flour, 2 tsp sugar and 3/4 tsp each of baking soda and salt in a bowl.

Work in 2 TBSP diced cold butter by hand or with a pastry knife.

Add 1/2 cup raisins and 1 TBSP caraway seeds.

Mix in 3/4 cup buttermilk.

Pat out dough to 1 inch thick; cut into rounds or square biscuits (about 2 1/2 inches).

Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes. 

Guinness Pie

This in a very involved recipe and a whole lot more work than I am usually willing to put into a meal. However, I wanted to try out something new for St. Patricks Day dinner because I am not a fan of corned beef and I found this intriguing. From start to finish it took me about 4 hours, however you can mix up the crust and make the filling a day in advance and then assemble it right before you want to cook it. Just bring it up to room temperature before assembling and baking. It was a lot of work, but TOTALLY worth it! OMG it turned out amaze-balls! Our new SPD tradition for sure!

Ingredients

Crust:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 tsp salt
1 stick (8 TBSP) cold, unsalted butter
1 cup shredded aged Irish Cheddar cheese
1/4 - 1/2 cup ice water

Filling:
6 strips thick cup bacon - cut crosswise into 1 inch pieces
2 TBSP olive oil or safflower oil + more if needed
3 pounds beef chuck - trimmed of hard fat and cut into bite sized pieces
salt & pepper
3 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 medium yellow onion - chopped
4 large garlic cloves - thinly sliced
1 pound (about 4 cups) mushrooms - washed, stems trimmed and cut in half or quarters if they are large
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 TBSP Dijon mustard
2 cups dark stout beer - I used Guinness extra stout (this will be just over 1 bottle of beer)
7 stems fresh Thyme
1 dried bay leaf
8 ounces frozen pearl onions - thawed and drained
1 pound (about 3 cups)  fingerling or new potatoes - cut into 3/4 inch pieces
2 TBSP chopped fresh dill
2 TBSP finely grated fresh horse radish (I could not find fresh anywhere so I just used jarred extra hot - not creamed)
1 TBSP distilled white vinegar
1 egg - beaten

CRUST:
In a food processor, combine flour and salt. Add butter and cheese and pulse until the mixture turns into a coarse meal.

With the machine running, drizzle water in slowly through the top. Pulse until the dough holds together without being wet and sticky. DO NOT process more than 30 seconds. Test the dough by squeezing a small amount together, if its crumbly add more water 1 TBSP at a time.

Roll dough into a ball and flatten into a disc. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

FILLING:
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until crisp and brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Save the fat to a bowl.

Wipe out pot and add 2 TBSP reserved bacon fat back to pot and heat over medium-high heat until hot.

Season beef with salt & pepper. Working in 3 batches, cook beef until browed on all sides, about 4 minutes per batch. Remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl.

Pour off fat from pot into bowl of reserved fat. Add 1 cup of broth to the pot and cook for 1 minute, scraping the bottom of the pot if needed. Pour over bowl of meat.

Heat 2 TBSP reserved fat in pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and cook until onions soften, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in mushrooms and cook 3 minutes. Sprinkle flour over vegetables, add mustard, and cook stirring constantly for 1 minute.

Return beef and broth to pot. Add remaining broth, stout, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, scraping flour mixture from bottom and sides of pot. Reduce heat to simmer, partially covered for 1 hour and 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add potatoes, cover and simmer until potatoes are tender but NOT MUSHY, about 20 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf and thyme stems. Stir in bacon, pearl onions, dill, horse radish and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a 2 1/2 quart baking dish and place on a rimmed baking sheet (incase it bubbles over).

Preheat oven to 400. Roll out dough on a floured work surface to about 2 inches bigger than the baking dish. Center dough over filling; trim the edges to about 1 inch overhang. Brush egg wash over bottom of edges and press onto baking dish to seal. Brush remaining egg wash over the top of the pie. Cut vents in center. Bake until crust is golden and the filling bubbles, 35 - 45 minutes. Let cool 20 minutes before serving.

Lasagna Rolls

 

These were a bit more work than regular lasagna and basically tasted like....well regular lasagna only lighter on the sauce. They make a beautiful presentation though with a slightly "cleaner" taste.

Ingredients:

9-15 unbroken lasagna noodles, depending on your pan size and how many people you are feeding. (I used regular and gluten free noodles and they both turned out perfect)

1 package frozen chopped spinach - thawed and drained of most liquid

1 jar of your favorite marinara sauce (you will probably only use half)

*1 lb ground pork (this is optional, you can also make them vegetarian) 

3 cups shredded cheese of choice. Ricotta is a popular cheese for lasagna but I dont care for it in the least so I used half mozzarella and half aged Irish cheddar) 

Cook pork in a pan, breaking up into small pieces. After it's cooked through I tip one side of the pan up and move all the meat to the top so the fat drains off, or you can just use a slotted spoon and remove the meat to a bowl. 

Add noodles to boiling water and cook until pliable but still al dente. Drain and rinse with cool water to keep them from getting mushy.

In a bowl mix together the pork, spinach and half of the cheese. 

Assemble your rolls by laying out one noodle at a time on a clean surface. Spoon a few large tablespoons of both marinara and cheese mixture down the middle. Leave a space at the end so when you roll it up it doesn't all gush out the bottom.

Roll up carefully and place the seam side down in a casserole dish. Repeat with the rest of your noodles and filling.

Spoon more marinara over the top and finish with remaining cheese.

Bake in oven at 375 until cheese is melted and slightly golden. 

Parmesan Chicken & Sun Dried Tomato Zoodles

Ingredients: 

1 TBSP butter

1.5 lbs skinless chicken thighs - cut into short strips

3-4 oz semi-dried tomato strips (I found them in a bag by the jarred sun dried tomatoes in the produce section, it says something to the extent of them being 'extra tender') 

3.5 oz jarred sun dried tomato strips in oil

4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 

1 1/4 cup cream, half & half or canned coconut milk/creme 

1 cup shaved parmesan cheese

salt, dried basil, red chili flakes to taste

2 large zucchini - spiral cut into Zoodles! 

Heat butter in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken strips and season with salt. Fry until golden brown on all sides.

Add the semi-dried and jarred sun-dried tomatoes with 1 TBSP oil from the jar, and add the garlic; saute about 3 minutes.

Lower heat, add the cream and cheese; simmer while stirring until cheese is melted. Season to taste with salt, basil and red chili flakes. 

Combine with zoodles and simmer until the zoodles have softened to your liking (4-7 minutes).

Eat immediately! 

Beef and Veggie Ramen

I normally don't do recipes that are this involved but after I found the gluten free ramen noodles at Costco I had to try it and now it's one of my favorites BY FAR.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup coconut aminos (or soy sauce) - separated
2 TBSP hoisin sauce
2 1/2 TBSP minced garlic
3 TBSP + 1 tsp cornstarch
1 lb flank steak or sirloin steak (the flank steak was $20 and the sirloin was only $8 so I went with the sirloin)
4-5 TBSP olive oil or coconut oil
Veggies - I did about 1 1/2 cups snap peas, 1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms, 1chopped red bell pepper, 1 large shredded carrot
6-8 oz ramen noodles (I found gluten free ramen noodles at Costco and they were perfect!)
2 TBSP sesame oil
1 cup low sodium beef stock/broth
1 TBSP minced ginger
*1/2 cup brown sugar (use more or less depending on how sweet you want the dish. A loosely packed 1/2 cup was just right for my taste. Not too sweet).
red pepper flakes to taste

Marinade the meat in 1/4 cup coconut aminos (or soy sauce), hoisin sauce and 1 TBSP minced garlic.  Slice your steak very thin against the grain and then in half if the pieces are too long. If you are using flank steak, you can get by with about 30 minutes in the marinade. However, if you are using sirloin I suggest putting the sliced meat in the marinade in a covered bowl or zip bag and letting it do it's thing all day in the fridge. Get your butt out of bed an extra 20 minutes early and throw it together before work.

Combine the remaining 1/2 cup coconut aminos/soy sauce, beef stock, sesame oil, remaining minced garlic, minced ginger, brown sugar and red pepper flakes in a bowl. Set aside.

Prep and cook the veggies. Place 1 TBSP of oil in a large pan/skillet/wok and add the veggies. Cook over medium-high heat until crisp tender. Transfer to a bowl.

Remove meat from marinade into a large plastic bag with 3 TBSP corn starch. Toss to coat, also using your fingers to work the cornstarch into the meat so that it is all well coated.

Cook meat in however many batches it takes to make sure the pieces aren't touching while they cook (it took me 3 batches). Heat 1 TBSP oil in your pan until simmering. Add the meat to the simmering oil and cook about 90 seconds without moving it. Then stir it around for about 30 seconds and transfer to a plate. Add more oil before each batch.

Put a pot of water on to boil.

In the same pan, add in your beef stock mixture. Cook uncovered over medium heat until it thickens a little and reduces by about a third (don't reduce it too much!)

In a small bowl whisk together remaining 1 tsp cornstarch and 1 tsp water. Whisk into sauce.

While your sauce is reducing, cook your ramen noodles in your boiling water. Follow the directions on the package but it only takes about 3-4 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water.

Add cooked noodles, veggies and meat to your sauce and toss to coat. Eat immediately!

These are the noodles I found at Costco!

Turkey Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:
3 large bell peppers - cut in half, seeds and stems removed
1 lb ground turkey
1 can Italian seasoned diced tomatoes
1/2 onion-chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
salt
pepper
cumin
garlic powder
shredded sharp cheddar or mozzarella
*6 thick slices gouda cheese (optional)

Place bell pepper halves, cut side down, on a foil lined baking sheet. Roast in the oven at 375 until just tender.
Remove to a casserole dish, cut side up.

Brown turkey in a large pan over medium high heat with chopped onions. Season to taste with salt, pepper, cumin and garlic powder. Add in chopped parsley and diced tomatoes, combine well and remove from heat.

*Place a slice of Gouda cheese in the bottom of each bell pepper half (optional), mound with turkey filling and top with shredded cheese of choice. Bake at 350 until cheese is melted.

Allergy free Gingerbread Loaf

This is not a sweet bread. When I think gingerbread I of course think cookies, but this bread was pleasantly not sweet, with an earthy strong ginger flavor. If you want a little more sweetness I suggest thinning the icing with more syrup instead of milk. 

Ingredients:

2 flax eggs (2 TBSP ground flax seed + 6 TBSP warm water)

1 + 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

6 pitted Medjol dates + 1/4 cup non dairy milk or applesauce (blended together until smooth)

1/3 cup molasses

1 tsp vanilla

1 TBSP fresh grated ginger (do not sub with ground ginger) 

2 + 3/4 cup flour (i used half gluten free flour and half spelt flour

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground cloves

Coconut icing:

full fat canned coconut milk (do not shake and place in the fridge overnight)

2 TBSP maple syrup

1/4 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 and grease a glass or non-stick loaf pan. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together wet ingredients. 

In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients, add wet ingredients and gently stir until combined. Do not overtax. Pour into prepared loaf pan and bake 40-50 minutes, checking with a toothpick in the center - bread is ready when it comes out clean. 

Remove from oven and let cool in pan on a wire rack 5-10 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely. 

For the icing: remove coconut milk from fridge and open (do not shake). Remove the top hard layer only to a bowl. Add syrup and vanilla. Thin with the liquid part of coconut milk until you reach desired consistency (mine was a little too thick for drizzling).  Drizzle over cooled loaf. 

• 
  

Cast Iron Roasted Chicken

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken
softened butter
salt & pepper
*rubbed sage
*garlic cloves
*fresh sage, thyme, rosemary
*1 whole lemon - quartered

Veggies: potatoes, carrots, onion, celery, yams - cleaned, peeled, roughly chopped.

*optional

Preheat oven to 450 and place rack in the lower middle.

Rinse and dry your chicken and remove any giblets.
Rub the chicken down with softened butter - LOTS of softened butter. Then sprinkle GENEROUSLY with salt and pepper and I also used rubbed sage.

If desired, stuff the chicken with lemon wedges, garlic, fresh herbs - this adds subtle flavor to the meat.

Place your chopped veggies in the bottom of your cast iron and season with salt and pepper. Add a half cup water to the pan and then place the chicken on top.
Place the chicken in the oven and immediately lower the temp to 400. Set a timer for 50 minutes and let it roast undisturbed.

The chicken is done when the temp reaches 165 in the thickest part of the thigh and breast, when the wings and legs wiggle loosely and juices run clear. Continue roasting and checking the chicken every 10 minutes until it is done - tent with foil if it starts to dry out at all. Roasting time will be between 50 - 90 minutes usually, depending on the size of your chicken.

When it is done roasting, transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let rest for 15 minutes. Remove veggies to a serving platter and make a gravy out of the drippings in the pan!

Garlic Roasted Zucchini & Tomato

Ingredients:
1 large zucchini - thinly sliced
1 large yellow crookneck squash
2 large tomatoes - sliced
3 cloves garlic - minced
4 TBSP olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and preheat oven to 400.

In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Toss sliced veggies to coat evenly and spread on prepared pan. Pour any remaining oil mixture over the top and then sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 400 for 20-30 minutes or to desired tenderness.

Thai Turkey Meatballs

Ingredients

Meatballs:

2 lbs ground turkey

1 TBSP fish sauce

1/4 cup green onions - finely chopped

*1 cup zucchini - shredded & liquid squeezed out (optional)

2 TBSP fresh basil - finely chopped

2 tsp fresh ginger - grated

2 garlic cloves - minced

2 tsp red curry paste

2 TBSP canned coconut milk

pinch hot pepper chili flakes

1/2 cup breadcrumbs of choice

1 TBSP ground flax seed

Sauce:

the rest of the can of coconut milk

4 TBSP tomato paste

2 tsp red curry paste

2 tsp fish sauce

chili pepper flakes to taste 

In a bowl, combine the ingredients for the meatballs, mixing thoroughly with your hands. Make meat balls (about 25-28) by rolling 1 heaping TBSP between your hands (wetting your hands or using a little oil will help keep it from sticking). Lay aside on parchment or foil.

In a small bowl, mix together sauce ingredients. 

Heat a large skillet (12" or larger) over high heat. Add a little oil or cooking spray and add meatballs. Cook, turning to brown all sides about 5-7 minutes. No need to cook through, they will finish in the sauce. 

Add the sauce and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer 15 minutes, uncovered. Serve over rice or noodles! 

Garnish with chopped green onions, cilantro or fresh basil. 

• 
  

SaveSave

Kid Approved - Cottage Cheese Pancakes

Bear loves these and I can feel ok about him snacking on them because they are filled will healthy ingredients!

1 cup old fashioned oats
1 banana
1 cup cottage cheese
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 TBSP milk or milk substitute

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth - batter will be a bit runny.
Cook in skillet over medium-high heat; you can use butter but I found I didn't need it in my nonstick pan. Make them mini for toddler finger foods! I also make a double batch and freeze half for later.

Avocado Cilantro Lime Dressing

Ingredients:

1 avocado

1 cloves garlic - peeled

1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro

1/4 cup sour cream or plain greek yogurt

1 TBSP fresh lime juice

3 TBSP olive oil

salt & pepper to taste 

Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender. 

Process until smooth, scraping down the sides. Thin with water until it reaches desired consistency. 

Super Food Salad

Ingredients:
lettuce of choice - I suggest romaine, kale, spinach
black beans - drained and well rinsed
avocado
flat leaf parsley and/or cilantro - chopped
mango - thinly sliced or chopped
quinoa cooked in low sodium chicken broth
chicken breast - pan cooked or baked with seasonings of choice (I did salt, pepper, onion/garlic powder)
*fresh jalapeño (optional) 

Assemble and enjoy with dressing of choice! Goes well with oil & vinegar or avocado cilantro

Pulled Pork Tacos with Vinegar Slaw

For the pork:
1 large pork shoulder roast
1 small can tomato paste
1 cup water
3 TBSP Worchestershire sauce
1 TBSP sugar or real maple syrup
salt, pepper, onion powder, chili powder, parsley, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, oregano

Place roast in a slow cooker, fatty side down and season heavily with salt, pepper 7& onion powder. Cook on high for 5-6 hours or until tender enough to shred with 2 forks. You dont need any liquid because the fat will render down and make it plenty moist. 

Whisk together the tomato paste, water, Worchestershire, syrup and seasonings. Add shredded pork and sauce to a pan, stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat.

For the slaw:
1/2 head cabbage - very thinly sliced
1 large carrot - shredded
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tsp sugar or real maple syrup
1  TBSP olive oil
salt & pepper

Combine in a bowl and refrigerate.

For the Aoli:
1 cup mayo
1 clove garlic - minced
1 tsp lime juice
1 1/2 tsp chipotle seasoning
1 tsp fresh chopped chives

Combine and refrigerate until ready to serve.

I assembled my pork and slaw tacos on butter fried gluten free tortillas with avocado and hot sauce.