Sunday, January 31, 2016

Two Ingredient Crispy Oven Baked BBQ Chicken

This was so simple to make and delicious! 


Ingredients

8-10 Chicken thighs and drumsticks (bone-in, skin on)
2 Cups of barbecue sauce 
Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees 
2. Coat the chicken on all sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper
3. Place the chicken skin side down on a sprayed baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes
4. Remove the chicken from the oven and turn the temperature of the oven up to 425 degrees
5. Coat the top of the chicken with barbecue sauce using a basting brush. Use a spatula to flip the chicken over, being careful not to tear the skin. Baste the other side of the chicken, and place back in the oven for 7 minutes
6. Remove from oven, baste top with barbecue sauce, and place back in oven for 7 more minutes
7. Remove from the oven again and baste again, and place back in oven for 7 more minutes or until chicken is crispy, parts are blackened, and it's fully cooked

Zucchini Pizza Boats

These were delicious! And very filling. I would make it again. It's a great way to eat a low carb pizza.


Ingredients


  • 4 Zucchini
  • 1 Tsp of olive oil
  • Lean ground turkey
  • 2 Garlic clove, minced
  • 1/2 Tsp of oregano
  • 1/2 Tsp of basil
  • 1 Cup of marinara sauce
  • Shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
2. Heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the turkey and garlic
3. Cook until the turkey is fully browned. Season with salt and pepper
4. Stir in the oregano, basil, and marinara sauce
5. Meanwhile cut the zucchini in half and scoop out some of the center using a spoon to create the “boat.” Place in a baking dish sprayed with cooking spray
6. Fill the boats with the turkey mixture
7. Top each with shredded cheese 
8. Bake for 15 minutes until cheese is bubbling and zucchini is tender

Thursday, January 28, 2016

Slow Cooker Gingerbread Oatmeal (GF)

I was expecting this oatmeal to taste like Christmas morning. Well it didn't. It wasn't bad, just bland. I felt like it was definitely missing something. I added a little bit of agave nectar to sweeten it up. Would I make this again? Probably not. But try it for yourself.

Ingredients

2 Cups of uncooked steel cut oats (don’t use quick-cooking or old-fashioned rolled oats because they will get too mushy)
½ Teaspoon of salt 
1 Tablespoon of cinnamon
1 Teaspoon of ginger
1 Teaspoon of nutmeg
½ Teaspoon of cloves
½ Teaspoon of allspice
8 Cups of water
¼ Cup of molasses 
Directions

1. Spray the inside of a slow cooker with cooking spray

Friday, January 22, 2016

Crockpot Potato Soup (Gluten Free & Dairy Free)

This potato soup turned out so well! You would never know it was both gluten free and dairy free. The only thing I did not like about the end result was that it was still chucks of potatoes laying a broth. In order to fix this, I whipped out my hand blender. I placed some of the soup into a bowl (I worked in batches) and blended it. It became more of a creamy, mashed soup rather than just chunks of potatoes. There were still some chunks left though. It tasted delicious!

Ingredients

4-5 Russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2-3 Celery ribs, chopped
1 Small onion, chopped 
1 Cup of chopped carrots 
4 Cups of chicken broth 
2 Tsp. of salt
1 Tsp. of black pepper
1/4 Cup of gluten free flour 
1 1/2 Cup of non-dairy milk (I used unsweetened coconut milk)

Chives, chopped,
Shredded cheese
Turkey bacon

Directions

1. In a crockpot, combine potatoes, celery, onion, and carrots

2. Cover with chicken broth and season with salt and pepper
3. Set on low for 6-7 hours, or on for high 3 hours
4. Once finished cooking, combine milk and flour in a small bowl until fully combined and pour into soup

5. Mix gently and allow to cook for another 15-20 minutes longer on low
6. If for some reason you want it creamer, blended it

7. Serve alone or with any optional toppings

Monday, January 18, 2016

Paleo Tomato Basil and Turkey Soup

This was delicious! My husband really enjoyed it and there was enough left over. The original recipe called for ground beef but since I don't eat beef, I substituted it with turkey. I would definitely make this again on a cold, cold night.

Ingredients

30 Oz can of diced tomatoes
1 Cup of coconut milk, Canned
1 Tablespoon  of coconut oil
1/2 Onion, diced
3 Teaspoons of mince garlic
1 Teaspoon of salt
1 Cup of Chicken Stock (or Broth) 
¼ Cups of chop basil
Ground turkey, cooked
2 Cups of spinach

Directions

1. Add the diced tomatoes and coconut milk to a blender and blend until smooth
2. Heat a large pot and add the coconut oil and saute onions until translucent
3. Add the garlic and cook 
4. Pour in the tomato/coconut milk mixture, salt and chicken broth
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer for 10-15 minutes
6. Mix in fresh basil, spinach, and cooked ground turkey (You must brown and cook the turkey before adding it to the soup)
7. Cook until heated through

Sweet & Sour Chicken

I've made sweet and sour chicken using a few different recipes. This was pretty good. Not my favorite recipe, but good. The water chestnuts add a nice touch to the recipe.

Ingredients

Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, cooked & cubed
1 Can of pineapple juice
¼ Cup of GF soy sauce
½ Cup of rice wine vinegar
¾ Cup of brown sugar
¼ Cup of GF flour
1 8 Oz can of water chestnuts

Directions

1. Cube the chicken and bake in the oven at 375 degrees
2. To make the sauce, mix together the pineapple juice, soy sauce, vinegar and brown sugar 3. Cook in a deep pan till heated through
4. Then add the flour and cook until thickened
5. Add the water chestnuts and cook for 1-2 minutes
6. Once the chicken is cooked add it to the sauce and stir till combined and heated through

Saturday, January 9, 2016

Green Lentil Curry

This was pretty good and so easy to make. My husband even enjoyed it, to much of my surprise! It is packed with protein, which is awesome if you're looking for a meat free protein dish.

Ingredients

1 Large onion, finely chopped (I used 1/4 of an onion)
1-2 Garlic cloves, crushed
1 Tsp of coconut oil
1 Tsp of turmeric
1/2 Tsp of coriander, ground
1 Tsp of curry powder
1 Tsp of cumin
1 Tsp of salt
14 Oz can of coconut milk (I used lite)
5.5 Oz can of tomato paste
2 Cups of green lentils, uncooked & rinsed (I used a bit more than 2 cups)
3 Cups of boiling water
Cilantro, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat a dutch oven with coconut oil
2. Add the onion and garlic, cook until golden brown, stirring occasionally
3. Add the turmeric, coriander, curry powder, cumin and salt
4. Cook for another 30 seconds, stirring frequently
5. Add the coconut milk, tomato paste, water, lentils and stir to combine
6. Bring to a boil, cover and cook on low for 45 minutes
7. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes
8. Serve hot and garnished with cilantro

Friday, January 8, 2016

Shredded Chicken Taco Soup

I was not that impressed with this. I probably wouldn't make it again. And if I did I would try to change the recipe some how. It was good and my husband enjoyed it, but it wasn't anything to rave about.

Ingredients

Shredded chicken
Garlic, minced
1/2 of onion, chopped
1 Cup of chopped green beans
Zucchini, Chopped 
Carrot, diced
1/2 of Jalapeno, chopped
32 Fluid ounces of low sodium chicken broth
4 Cups of water
2 Teaspoons of chili powder
2 Teaspoons of cumin
1 Teaspoon of salt 
1 Tablespoon of olive oil
Corn tortillas, avocado, and grated cheese to top

Directions

1. In a large soup pot, heat olive oil 
2. Add the chopped vegetables and saute 
3. Add the broth, water, and spices
4. Bring to boil, then reduce the heat to medium low and add the shredded chicken
5. Cook for another 5-10 minutes
6. Serve with crushed corn tortillas, cheese, and avocado on top

Thursday, January 7, 2016

Mac And Cheese

My husband loves mac and cheese, so I decided to make this for him. I have never made it before, but he said it turned out delicious. I used gluten free ingredients but you can use whatever type you want.

Ingredients


Pasta
1/4 Cup of butter
1/4 Cup of flour
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
2 Cups of milk (I used whole milk)
2 Cups of shredded cheese (I used more than 2 cups, I used closer to 3 cups. I also used a 4 cheese blend)

Directions

1. Cook the past according to the package directions
2. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat then stir in the flour, salt and pepper 3 3. Slowly add the milk
4. Cook and stir until bubbly
5. Stir in the cheese until melted
6. Drain the pasta and place in a bowl
7. Add the cheese sauce to the pasta and mix well

Friday, January 1, 2016

GF Spaetzle

My husband and I wanted to try making spaetzle again. The first time didn't turn out as we expected. We tried a new recipe using completely different flour. This turned out fantastic! I cannot wait to make this again and again.

Ingredients

3 Cups of Bob's Red Mill Fava Bean Flour
2 Large eggs
Milk, about 1 cup  (I used unsweetened coconut milk)
2 Tbsp of butter (I used earth balance dairy free butter)
Parsley, dried

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil and add a little salt
2. In a large bowl, add the flour and create a little well in the middle, then add the eggs
3. Add the milk, ½ cup at a time. Stir and keep adding the milk in until consistency is thick, but a little liquid. It should resemble a thick pancake batter
4. When dough is completely mixed, grab a handful of the dough, and slide it across a large-holed cheese grater 
5. Once all of the dumplings have been added to water, stir and let boil until they are all floating at the top, about 2-3 minutes
6. Strain water with a colander and let dumplings dry for about 1 minute
7. Heat a heavy pan on the stove and melt 2 tbsp butter in it
8. Add spaetzle to pan and toss in butter until slightly browned, about 5 minutes
9. Add the parsley and serve warm
10. Garnish with whatever you would like