Monday, February 29, 2016

Gluten Free Nut Free Thai Chicken Recipe

I was pleasantly surprised at how good this was. I thought that using sun-butter to cook with might be a little strange, but it was delicious!

Ingredients

½ Cup of Sunbutter
3 Tablespoons of gluten free Thai fish sauce
Juice of 1 fresh lime (I used lime juice)
4 Tablespoons of honey (or agave nectar)
¼ Teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes 
½ Cup of water
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
Garlic, minced 
Ginger, grated 
Sea salt

Pepper
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
Broccoli florets

Directions

1. Combine the sunbutter, fish sauce, lime juice, honey, red pepper flakes and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring until smooth. Remove from the heat and set aside
2. Heat the oil in a large pan with a lid over medium-high heat
3. Add the garlic and ginger and toss in the oil 
4. Add the chicken pieces and cook, stirring frequently, until browned on all sides
5. Add the broccoli, stir to coat, cover the pan and reduce the heat to medium
6. Cook until the broccoli is crisp tender and the chicken is cooked through
7. Add the sunbutter sauce to the chicken and broccoli, toss to coat

Saturday, February 27, 2016

Gluten Free Orange Chicken

This orange chicken turned out really well! I love cooking Asian dishes because they taste like the real thing but are soooo much healthier for you. The original recipe calls for the chicken to be fried in a pan, however, I baked it.


Ingredients

Chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces 
1/2 Teaspoon of salt
1/2 Teaspoon of black pepper
1/2 Cup of cornstarch, plus 1 tablespoon, divided
1/4 Cup of tamari gluten free soy sauce
1/4 Cup of white vinegar
1/4 Cup of orange juice (I used more)
1/4 Cup of water
1/4 Cup of organic brown sugar, packed
1/2 Teaspoon of  minced garlic
1/4 Teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes
Green onions, to garnish
Coconut cooking spray


Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
2. Place the cornstarch in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper, add the chicken on top and toss until evenly coated
3. Spray a cooking tray with oil and add the chicken
4. Bake until golden about 20 minutes5. Meanwhile, whisk together all the remaining ingredients in a small bowl
6. Once the chicken is cooked through and golden brown remove it from the oven
7. Pour the contents of the small bowl into a hot pan and simmer and stir until thickened
8. Once thickened, add the chicken to the pan, and toss to coat
9. Garnish with some green onions 

Black Bean Turkey Burgers

These were simple to make and tasted really good. I fried them in a grilling pan since it's winter. I cannot wait to make them again this summer on the grill.

Ingredients

1.5 Pounds of ground turkey 
1 Can of black beans, rinsed 
1 Cup of gf panko breadcrumbs (I used regular gf breadcrumbs)
1.5 Tablespoons of onion powder 
½ Teaspoon of garlic salt
1 Egg 
Pepper
Olive oil

Directions

1. Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl
2. Form into patties
3. In a skillet, add a some olive oil. Once the oil is hot add the burgers and cook 7 minutes on one side
4. Press burgers down to flatten
5. Flip and cook additional 7-9 minutes until cooked through

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites (GF &DF)

I wanted to make cookie dough I could eat without having to bake into a cookie and also one that wasn't raw and could harm me or my unborn baby. I found this recipe and altered it a bit and it came out delicious. Addicting and delicious!

Ingredients

1 Cup of gluten free flour
2 Teaspoons of cornstarch
1/2 Cup of dairy free butter, melted
6 Tablespoons of brown sugar
6 Tablespoons of granulated sugar
2 Teaspoons of organic vanilla extract
2/3 Cup of mini chocolate chips (I used enjoy life brand choc. chips--they are free of everything)

Optional
2-4 tablespoons milk (I used unsweetened coconut milk)

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, mix together brown sugar, sugar, flour, and cornstarch
2. Beat in the melted butter and vanilla extract until it starts to come together, the dough will resemble coarse crumbs
3. Stir in the chocolate chips
4. Mix until dough slightly sticks together, but it will still look crumbly. If the dough is too crumbly, simply add in some milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it is easier to work with. You will want to do this if you are rolling them into little balls
5. Scoop a heaping tablespoon. Roll the dough into a ball and place on prepared pan
6. Place pan in the refrigerator for the bites to chill for 30 minutes or place them in the freezer for 15 minutes

Friday, February 19, 2016

Crockpot Sweet and Tangy Asian Meatballs

These were really good. Made me super thirsty afterwards, but really good. I'm trying to get more into making crockpot meals since my husband and I will be welcoming a little one in just months!

Ingredients

For Meatballs
2 lbs of Ground pork (I used ground turkey)
½ Cup of green onions, chopped
4 Cloves of garlic, minced (I used a bit less)
1 Tbsp of sesame oil 
2 Tsp of ginger, freshly grated
2 eggs
Salt and pepper 
Sesame seeds for garnish 
For Sauce
⅔ Cup of Hoisin sauce
¼ Cup of soy sauce
¼ Cup of rice vinegar
5 Cloves of garlic, minced (I used a bit less)
2 Tsp of ginger, freshly grated
1 Tbsp of Sriracha sauce (I used a bit more)


Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
2. Mix all the meatball ingredients together in a large bowl. Shape into 1 inch meatballs and place them on the baking sheet
3. Bake the meatballs for 20-25 minutes or until just slight brown and no longer pink inside
4. While they are baking, mix all the sauce ingredients together in a bowl
5. Place the meatballs together with the sauce into the  crockpot
6. Cook on low for 2 hours
7. The sauce will reduce and thicken a bit
8. Serve garnished with additional chopped green onion or sesame seeds

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Carrot Zucchini Muffins (Gluten and dairy free)

These are good! Once again, I think I let them bake for too long. But I'm learning. I would make these again. Great for an on the go breakfast.

Ingredients

1½ Cups of almond flour
½ Cup of brown rice flour
2½ Teaspoons of baking powder
½ Teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
½ Cup of honey (or pure maple syrup)
½ Cup of coconut oil 
2 Eggs
½ Cup of finely shredded carrots
1¼ Cups of finely shredded zucchini

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2. Line a muffin tin with paper liners
3. In a mixing bowl, combine the almond flour, brown rice flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon
4. Make a "well" in the dry ingredients and add the honey, oil, and eggs and stir to combine. The batter will be thick
5. Add the shredded carrots and zucchini and stir until they are evenly distributed
6. Fill each muffin liner with better so it is about ¾ full
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the edges are golden

Thursday, February 11, 2016

Easy Rice Noodles

The original recipe was for an easy chicken Lo Mein, but since I cannot find gluten free Lo Mein noddles, I bought rice noodles(which I love). I also did not follow the recipe exactly and put my own spin on it. I made it more of a Thai dish, than I Chinese one. It was yummy, but I have made better rice noddle dishes.

Ingredients

Rice noodles (1 box)
5 Tablespoons of soy sauce (gluten free)
3 Fluid ounces of chicken Broth/Stock
5 Teaspoons of sesame oil
3 Tablespoons of lime juice
¼ Teaspoons of  red pepper flakes
Olive oil
2 Cups of broccoli, chopped
1 Cup of cauliflower, chopped
1/2 Cup of carrots, chopped
4 Eggs, scrambled
1 Cup of cooked chicken, cubed (I omitted this because it was Ash Wednesday)
1 Teaspoon of garlic, minced

Directions

1. Cook the rice noodles according to package directions
2. While the noodles are cooking, combine the sesame oil, soy sauce, chicken broth, lime juice, and red pepper flakes in a small pot and mix well. Heat over low heat
3. In a large skillet cook the eggs, once cooked push them to the side and add the olive oil. Place the vegetables in the olive oil and saute for 3-4 minutes or until tender
4. Add in cooked chicken and let cook for 1-2 minutes
5. Add the garlic to pan and mix everything together, let cook for another minute 6. Once the noodles are done, drain them and place in a large bowl
7. Pour in sauce mixture and toss
8. Add in the egg/veggie/chicken mixture and toss again
9. Make sure all the noodles are coated with sauce 

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

Easy Potato Skins

I made these for Super Bowl. Everyone seemed to enjoy them. They were actually pretty easy to make and not time consuming. Better to make them homemade, then buy the already made frozen ones.

Ingredients

4- 5 Large baking potatoes 
3 TB of butter, melted
2 Teaspoons of kosher salt
Shredded cheddar cheese
Turkey bacon, cooked and crumbled 
Green onions

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Cover a baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray
3. Wash the potatoes and then cut the ends of the potatoes off and discard. Next, cut the rest of the potatoes into approximately 1/2 inch slices
4. Brush both sides and edges of the potatoes with butter and sprinkle with salt
5. Place on the foil covered pan and bake for 30 or until lightly browned
6. Turn the potatoes onto the opposite side after about 15 minutes, to brown the other side
7. When the potatoes are done, top with cheese, bacon and green onions
8. Continue baking for another 5 minutes or until the cheese in nice and bubbly

Friday, February 5, 2016

Gingerbread Baked Oatmeal Cups

DELICIOUS! I've been obsessed with different ways to make oats lately. This is another simple way to make oatmeal and eat it on the go.

Ingredients

Coconut oil cooking spray
2 ¼ Cups of gluten free old-fashioned oats
2 Cups of coconut milk
2 Large eggs
¼ Cup of pure maple syrup
2 Tablespoons of molasses
1 Teaspoon of organic vanilla extract
½ Teaspoon of baking powder
¼ Teaspoon of salt
1 Teaspoon of ginger
½ Teaspoon of cinnamon
¼ Teaspoon of cloves (Only ingredient I didn't have)
¼ Teaspoon of nutmeg

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees 
2. Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray
3. Add 3 tablespoons of oats to each well and set aside
4. In a large bowl combine milk, eggs, maple syrup, molasses, and vanilla. Whisk until well combined
5. In a small bowl, whisk together baking powder, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg
6. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and whisk to combine
7. Pour the wet ingredients into the muffin tin wells with the oats, filling almost to the top
8. Bake oatmeal cups for 25-30 minutes, until set
9. Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then gently run a spoon around the edge of each cup and carefully remove 

Sriracha Honey Lime Drumsticks

I loved these! The original recipe calls for them to be grilled, but since it's winter...I baked them instead. I'm excited to try these again on the grill, once the weather gets warmer. 

Ingredients

Drumsticks (I cooked 6)
1½ Tablespoons of gluten free reduced sodium soy sauce 
1 Tablespoon of organic honey
1 Teaspoon of sriracha (I used a bit more)
½ Teaspoon of minced garlic
Zest of one lime
Juice from half a lime

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
2. Place the plain drumsticks on a baking pan or foil sprayed with cooking spray. Spray the tops of the drumsticks as well
3. Let bake for for 25 minutes, turning once while cooking
4. Meanwhile, add the sauce ingredients in a pot or sauce pan and let simmer on medium low while the drumsticks are cooking
5. Remove the drumsticks from the oven and baste each side of the drumsticks with the sauce 
6. Let bake for 10 more minutes to get nice and crispy
7. Garnish drumsticks with any additional sauce left in the bowl, sesame seeds, and lime zest 

Wednesday, February 3, 2016

To-Go Baked Oatmeal Cups

These are delicious! I love oatmeal and I'm always looking for new ways to eat it. And I always spice up my oatmeal in some way whether its adding fruit, agave nectar, almond or sunflower butter, or granola. These are perfect for when you want oatmeal on the go.

Ingredients

2 Eggs
¼ Cup of canola oil (I used olive oil)
1 Cup of packed organic brown sugar
½ Cup of organic applesauce
1½ Cups of skim milk (I used coconut milk)
2 Tsp. of organic vanilla extract
½ Tsp. of salt
1 Tbsp. of ground cinnamon
3 Cups of gluten free old fashioned rolled oats
2 Tsp. of baking powder
Optional: Your favorite toppings (fruit, nuts, chocolate chips, etc.)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2. Line a muffin tin with paper or foil muffin liners
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, and brown sugar until sugar is dissolved
4. Add the applesauce, milk, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon. Whisk until well combined
5. Stir in the oats and baking powder
6. Fill the muffin tin with ¼ cup of the oat mixture in each muffin cup, then add your favorite toppings. Push the toppings down into the oat mixture with a spoon
7. Bake for 30 minutes. Let them cool for 5 minutes before eating

Monday, February 1, 2016

Chicken Burrito Bowl

This was good. It was simple to make if you buy already shredded chicken. If not, you need to cook the chicken first and then shred it yourself. The original recipe called for rice but I'm not a fan, so I substituted the rice with quinoa.

Ingredients

Coconut oil
1 Garlic clove, minced
1 Small yellow onion, diced
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I used already shredded chicken)
Tomatoes, diced
1¼ Cups of low sodium chicken stock
2 Teaspoons of chili powder
2 Teaspoons of salt
1 Teaspoon of cumin
1 Cup of quinoa
1 Cup of frozen corn
Avocado

Directions

1. Place dutch oven over medium heat and add coconut oil, until melted
2. Add onion and garlic, cook until softened. Add the diced tomatoes, cooked chicken, chicken stock, chili powder, salt, and cumin to pot. Cover and lower heat
3. Cook for about 15 minutes
4. As that is cooking, cook the quinoa in a small pot according to the package5. Once the quinoa is done, remove the dutch oven lid and add the quinoa and frozen corn. Replace the lid and continue cooking on low for another 15 minutes
6. Check and stir once or twice to make sure that everything is cooking evenly and adding more chicken broth if the mixture seems dry
7. Place in bowls and top with diced avocado