Slow Cooker Chicken Meatballs and Curried Veggies

Busy mom, busy young kids, busy days mean I need quick, easy, nutritious meal plans in my back pocket, oh, just about... everyday. I've been making versions of this recipe for weeks now. I sure hope my kids don't tire of it as I plan on making it at least once a week through the cold months when we all want a hearty, warm dinner for those busy nights.

This recipe calls for several kinds of veggies, because I like variety, but use what you have on hand: think butternut squash, parsnips, broccoli, kale, or cabbage... use grass fed ground beef in place of the chicken... use cumin or cinnamon in place of the curry... you get the idea. Experiment!

Whatever the combo you choose, I think you'll fall in love with the ease of preparation and the deliciousness of the meal, busy or not!

Slow Cooker Chicken Meatballs and Curried Veggies

1 lb. ground chicken
salt, pepper

1 yellow onion
4 cloves garlic
2 inch stip of fresh ginger, peeled
4 carrots
6 small potatoes
2 cups cauliflower florets
2 stalks celery
1/2 cup dried fruit of choice (figs, dates, prunes, or raisins)

2 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon curry powder

Cilantro and/or parsley

Place chicken in a bowl and add a generous amount of salt and pepper. Gently mix in the salt and pepper while forming the chicken into 1 inch size meatballs with your hands. Evenly distribute meatballs in the bottom of a 6 quart slow cooker.

Coarsely chop all vegetables and dried fruit and, in the order listed, place atop of the meatballs, spreading around the slow cooker so they are evenly distributed.

Whisk curry powder into chicken stock in a small bowl and pour over the meatballs and veggies.

Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high for 3- 3 1/2 hours, until chicken is cooked through and veggies are tender.

Serve with cilantro/parsley as a garnish.

Taco Pie

This recipe is an ode to my Minnesota heritage and our famous hot dish.

A simple, delicious one-pot meal that will leave you filled and satisfied.

I have served this dish to several friends and family and always have requests to make it again, from kids and adults alike. Gotta have those go-to, no-fail, crowd-pleasing recipes on hand, and this will hopefully become one of those for you like it has for me.

Taco Pie 

1 tablespoon coconut oil or grass feed butter
1 yellow onion
2 garlic cloves
1 pound grass fed ground beef
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon paprika
salt, pepper
1 14 oz. can fire roasted tomatoes
1/2 cup green olives, sliced

1/2 package Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Cornbread Mix 
1 egg
1/3 cup coconut oil
3/4 cup almond milk or raw cow's milk
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 8x8 inch baking dish with coconut oil.

Melt coconut oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Chop onion and add to pan. Cook for about 3-5 minutes, until translucent. Mince garlic and add to onions. Cook about a minute, stirring once or twice. Add beef and, using a wooden spoon, break the beef up as it cooks. While the beef is browning, add spices (cumin through salt and pepper), stirring occasionally. Once the beef is completely browned, add tomatoes and olives and stir to combine.

Pour contents of half a bag of Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Cornbread Mix into a bowl. In a separate, smaller bowl, whisk eggs with coconut oil and milk. Add to dry cornbread mix and stir to combine.

Pour beef mixture into prepared baking dish. Add cornbread mixture to the top, spreading out to evenly coat. Sprinkle cheese over the top of the cornbread mixture.

Cover hot dish with foil and bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, until the cornbread mixture is set and cheese is melted. Remove foil, let stand about five minutes before serving.

Slow Cooker Marinara from Fresh Tomatoes

If you're wondering what to do with all those tomatoes that are rapidly coming into season, this recipe is for you. I am thrilled at how easy and delicious it is. Very little effort is required and the result is a tantalizing marinara that is unbelievable rich.

The uses for this marinara are plentiful. Serve it over brown rice pasta for a traditional take, or do as I do and serve it over grated zucchini for a take on "raw" pasta. It's also great for topping over chicken, spicy chicken sausage, or fresh white fish. It even makes a great dip for vegetables.

Slow Cooker Marinara from Fresh Tomatoes

18-20 roma tomatoes, washed and quartered
1 medium yellow onion
3-4 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1 teaspoon dried basil
salt, pepper

Place roma tomatoes in a large slow cooker. Chop onion and mince garlic and add to tomatoes. Drizzle oil, vinegar, and agave over tomatoes. Add seasonings and stir.

Turn on lowest setting and cook for about 4 hours. About halfway through cooking time, mash mixture with a potato masher to break up the tomatoes, then stir before putting the lid back on.

This marinara really cooks down, so if you're feeding a crowd, double the recipe. You can always freeze leftovers.

As a side note, I left my marinara really chunky, the way it gets from mashing with the potato masher. If you like a smoother marinara, by all means take an immersion blender to it or blend in a high powered blender for a bit until it reaches the desired consistency. My husband does not like chunky tomatoes, so if he would have been home for this dinner, I would have pureed it a bit before pouring over zucchini.

Chicken and Parmesan Spaghetti (gluten free)

This is the real deal. You would never know this delicious dinner recipe is gluten free, which is one reason I love working with brown rice pasta. I made this for my family tonight and after the first bite, my five year old asked if I could make it again. Of course, he loves noodles and was extra excited for the "cheese snow" (AKA grated parmesan) that I let him add to the top of his noodles.

Not only is it a super kid-friendly meal, it's also super easy, which is just what a mom of three young boys needs. I especially love the extra kick the red pepper gives this dish, however you should note that a little bit of crushed red pepper goes a long way, so if your kids are sensitive to spicy foods, keep the red pepper to a minimum (the adults can always add extra red pepper to the top of their individual dishes).


Chicken and Parmesan Spaghetti (gluten free)

1/2 pound gluten free spaghetti noodles (I used brown rice spaghetti noodles from Trader Joe's)
1 tablespoon coconut oil or grass-fed butter
1 medium yellow onion
5 cloves garlic
1 pound ground chicken
1 teaspoon dried oregano
salt, pepper
pinch red pepper flakes
1 14 oz. can fire roasted tomatoes (I used Muir Glen)
1/4 cup grated parmesean

Cook noodles according to package instructions.

Meanwhile, heat oil or butter over medium-low heat in a large saucepan. Chop onion and add to pan, cooking for about 3-5 minutes, until translucent. Mince garlic and add to onion. Cook about 1 minute. Add chicken and spices (through red pepper). Using a wooden spoon, cook the chicken until cooked through and no longer pink, breaking it up into small crumbles as you cook. Add tomatoes and stir.

When the noodles are done cooking, drain the water and add the noodles to the chicken sauce and stir to coat the noodles. Add the parmesan and stir again.

Serve topped with additional parmesan (or cheese snow, as my five year old calls it!), if desired.

Indian Spiced Chickpea and Chicken Stew

I love a good stew. And I love Indian spices. The pairing of these two loves made dinner tonight: a hearty, healthy, spicy, rustic stew perfect for a cold winter's night. This recipe was inspired by a recipe from Ali Segersten's The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook. This has become one of my absolute favorite cookbooks. I adore the creativity in each featured recipe. I find myself scanning this book every afternoon, looking that night's dinner recipe. And I've been so pleased with everything I have tried from her cookbook thus far. I usually end up tweaking a few things from her recipes to make them my own (as is the case with this recipe), but I have to give her due credit for the inspiration!

This stew was so good it surprised me. The dried fruit really sweetens this spicy pot of stew up like a dream. It's packed with antioxidants and cancer-fighting properties, thanks to the assortment of spices and veggies alike. It's a great meal to make if anyone in your house is fighting the cold so persistent in these winter months.

And it makes quite a large pot! Plan on enjoying this with your family and friends.


Indian Spiced Chickpea and Chicken Stew

1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 large yellow onion
4 cloves garlic

2 carrots

2 medium sized sweet potatoes
1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
pinch cayenne pepper
pinch salt and black pepper
2 cups cooked chickpeas
1 14 oz. can tomato sauce
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup cooked, shredded chicken
1/2 cup assorted dried fruit (I used a combination of dried figs, prunes, and raisins equal to a 1/2 cup total)
1/4 cup chopped parsley

In a large soup pot, heat coconut oil over medium to low heat. Chop onion and add to pan. Cook 3-5 minutes, until translucent. Mince garlic and chop carrots and sweet potatoes into bite size pieces. Add to pan along with spices (through black pepper). Cook another few minutes. Add remaining ingredients to the pot (except parsley) and stir.

Bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 20-25 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with parsley.

Beef and Pumpkin Pasta Bake (gluten free)

The time has come for comfort foods. I'm craving soups and hearty one pot dishes a lot these days. This afternoon as I sat down to figure out what I was going to make for dinner, I had no particular ideas in mind, other than something quick and comforting and satisfying... a pasta bake idea started to percolate. Digging around in the fridge and pantry, I started pulling out ingredients, hoping to make some sort of sense of them all.

This is what came of it. It actually reminded me a lot of the Hamburger Helper's of my childhood past. A dish so great, everyone gobbled it up in a hurry. My almost two year old kept asking for, "Mooaaar" with his cute sign language hand motions.

I love that it has pumpkin in it, helping us to savor the flavors of fall. But yet it does not have an overtly "pumpkin" taste. Rather it just adds some rich creaminess and color, and is also a great way to add extra nutrients and "sneak" in veggies that kids don't really know are in there. (This is a handy tool these days as my youngest child refuses to eat vegetables... a constant source of frustration for me!) Hopefully soon he will learn to love his vegetables as his older brother does, and in the meantime, recipes like this one are lifesavers for mom's with a child like mine.


Beef and Pumpkin Pasta Bake

8 oz. brown rice penne
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 medium onion
5 cloves garlic
1 pound grass fed ground beef
1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 cup pumpkin puree
5 oz. cream cheese
1 teaspoon dried thyme
salt, pepper
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese

Cook penne in a pot of gentle boiling water for 8-10 minutes. Drain.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and coat a 9x13 inch pan lightly with coconut oil cooking spray.

Meanwhile, heat coconut oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Chop onion and garlic and add to pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until translucent. Add beef and crumble as you cook until beef is browned. Add tomatoes, pumpkin, cream cheese, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir and cook until cream cheese is melted. Add cooked penne and stir.

Pour into prepared pan. Top with shredded cheese. Bake for 10 minutes, until cheese in melted.

Minute Steaks in Garlic Tomato Sauce

Ahh, the minute steak. The seemingly last cut of meat to get cooked out of my bulk purchase of 30 lbs. of grass fed beef from our local beef farmer. What to do with these guys? I am always asking myself. Usually I make chicken fried steak out of the minute steak, but the other night I wanted something different. Something juicy. Something comforting.

In my online research about the best ways to cook this often neglected cut of meat, I found that it really should be slow cooked in some form of acid to get it to a tender state. After some thought, I realized I haven't made a lot of tomato-based dishes lately, so that became my cooking-acid of choice. It worked out fabulously! My four year old told me the house smelled "delicious" while this was cooking on the stove, "just like a restaurant," (a sure sign that I've hit the mark on dinner).

In fact, it was so good, I raved to my husband about this dish (he unfortunately missed this manly meat-and-potatoes meal due to some work deadlines), and I'm not one to rave about steaks in general, let alone minute steaks. So I knew it had to make an appearance on the 18 Hour Kitchen as this will definitely be one recipe I'll keep coming back to when our next round of beef is scheduled for delivery and those minute steaks need to get used up quick!


Minute Steaks in Garlic Tomato Sauce

2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 medium onion
4 cloves garlic
1 lb. minute steaks (about three 1/3 lb. steaks)
1/4 cup all purpose gluten free flour blend
1 14 oz. can chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon dried oregano
salt, pepper

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Chop onion and add to pan. Cook about 3-4 minutes until translucent.

Meanwhile, rough chop garlic and dredge steaks on both sides in GF flour, shaking off excess flour. Add steaks to pan and spread garlic around steaks in pan. Cook steaks 3-4 minutes per side, until browned.

Next pour the whole can of tomatoes over the steaks in pan (including juice). Sprinkle oregano over tomatoes and add a few shakes of salt and pepper. Stir to evenly distribute sauce over and around steaks.

Bring to a gentle boil, then turn heat down to low, cover, and cook an additional 20 minutes, until steaks are tender. Serve steaks topped with garlic tomato sauce.

This dish pairs wonderfully with garlic mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli.

Artichoke Salmon Salad

I was in a salmon kick last week and made tons of it one night so I'd be sure to have plenty of it as leftovers throughout the week. And I did. I felt like I was eating salmon for lunch and dinner for days! By the end of the week, I needed to come up with a way to use my remaining salmon in a unique way.

Based on one of my staple tuna salad recipes, I simply replaced the tuna with cooked, flaked salmon and voila!, a new favorite recipe is born. This is really creamy and rich (thanks to the good fat and omega 3's of that wild, Alaskan caught salmon), but yet it perfect for a light lunch when paired with simple greens or tucked inside a brown rice tortilla.

A couple of notes: I used canned, water packed artichokes to save on time, and you could also used canned, wild caught salmon if you don't have any cooked salmon readily available.

Artichoke Salmon Salad

Salad:
1 cup flaked, cooked salmon
1 green onion
3 artichoke hearts

Dressing:
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
2 tablespoons mayonaise
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
5 drops liquid stevia
salt, pepper

Put salmon in a bowl. Chop green onion and artichoke hearts and add to salmon. Combine all dressing ingredients, whisk, and pour over salmon salad mixture. Mix until combined. Salt and pepper to taste.

Morel Mushroom Parmesan Pizza

This recipe I'm sharing with you today is quite possibly the best gluten free recipe on this blog to date. I mean, it's A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!! My husband and I created this together, based off a suggestion from the morel mushroom guy at our local farmer's market a few weeks back. After talking with the guy, who not surprisingly was doting on the wonderful, one-of-a-kind flavor of the morel mushrooms he was selling, we decided to buy a few (and I mean a few, as in no more than 4 ounces, which still ended up costing us $11!). He promised we would not regret it (and for $11 mushrooms, he'd better not be lying). His serving suggestion was to toast some parmesan topped french bread in the oven for a few minutes and top them with sauteed morel mushrooms. It sounded simply enough, and yes, delicious. The only problem is that we don't eat french bread in our house, or any bread that contains gluten for that matter. So it got me thinking... what about a morel mushroom topped parmesan pizza? I knew I had a few Udi's pizza crusts in my freezer that I could pull out...

So that's exactly what we did that night for dinner. And spent the entire dinner oohing and ahhing over this darn good pizza. My husband (who does not abstain from gluten completely) said it was the absolute best pizza he's ever eaten, gluten free or otherwise. And I agreed. In fact, it was so good that we made the same pizza a few nights later, trying it with portabellas instead (since we were out of those $11 morels the same day we bought them). The result of the second time around? Almost as good, the morel version was just slightly better in our opinion, but both versions delish.

So my recommendation is that if morels are in season in your area, and you can afford it, go for the gusto. If not, try some portabellas. Either way, you'll be floating up to heaven on a dreamy pizza cloud for the few minutes it will take you to scarf down this delectable pizza.

And please, let me know your thoughts if you try this recipe. (And you should try this recipe!)


Morel Mushroom Parmesan Pizza (AKA the best pizza known to man)

1 Udi's gluten free pizza crust
2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed or grated
3/4 cup shaved parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 ounces (approx. 1 1/2 cups whole) morel mushrooms or 2 portabella mushrooms
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place pizza crust on a baking sheet and drizzle olive oil over the top and add garlic. Spread both evenly over crust with the back of a spoon. Spread parmesan in a even layer over oil and garlic. Bake for 7-10 minutes until cheese is bubbly.

Meanwhile, heat remaining olive oil in a medium saucepan. Slice mushrooms and add to pan. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for 5-7 minutes, until mushrooms are soft.

When crust is done, pull out of oven and spread sauteed mushrooms over crust in an even layer. Slice and enjoy.

Serves 2.

Quinoa and Chicken Chipotle Stuffed Peppers

I don't know what gave me the hankering for stuffed peppers, but I got one yesterday. I have never actually made stuffed peppers myself, but have a friend who makes them all the time and raves. So when I went to the grocery store, I stocked up on bell peppers to make this dish. Not usually my go-to produce of choice, simply because the organic peppers at my coop are a tad on the expensive side (this time of year anyway), due to the fact that they have to travel all the way from Mexico. So for this dish, in the interest of keeping it a bit more on the economical side, I bought conventional bell peppers: 6 for $5.99, about a buck a piece. Not bad. (Of course, if you make this in the summer with bell peppers from your garden, it would cost you probably only a buck or two for all six. Note to self: make this with all those sweet patio peppers this summer!)

And since we don't eat a ton of rice here at home, I wanted to change up a traditional stuffed pepper recipe and use quinoa instead. Adding a few unexpected spices to it also gives it a whole new spark. Talk about bold and pungent flavors: cumin, curry, and chipotle chile! It's the kind of dish that makes your whole house smell divine (or as my four year old put it, "Mommy, the house smells spectacular!" He's really into big words these days.)

I've said it before, and will say it again: because this dish is cheesy, it's so appealing to kids. Mine scarfed it down, faster than me, and that's saying something because come dinner time, I was hungry!

The credit for this recipe goes to Vegetarian Times. My favorite magazine and online recipe source, the fab crew over there has done it again (I make Vegetarian Times recipes almost weekly with astounding success). Not entirely the same recipe, but definitely the same concept. My version, of course, is not vegetarian, thanks to the chicken, but it would still taste wonderful without it if you want to nix the chicken on account of your vegetarian needs. Or if you like the extra kick of protein that you get from the meat (not that this dish needs extra protein; the quinoa and black beans alone provide tons of it), you could substitute taco meat in place of the shredded chicken. (We have leftover taco meat from grass fed beef all the time because tacos are, without a doubt, my husband's favorite meal. His nickname growing up was the "Taco King." You get the drift.)

Any way you dice it, this stuffed pepper dish was a winner at our house and is sure to make it back on a recurring basis.


Quinoa and Chicken Chipotle Stuffed Peppers


1 tablespoon coconut oil
1/2 medium onion
2 stalks celery
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoon chipotle chile powder (or any kind chile powder)
1 14 oz. can chopped tomatoes
2 cups lightly packed fresh spinach
1 1/2 cups shredded, cooked rotisserie chicken
3/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup quinoa
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
salt, pepper
6 large red bell peppers (or any bell pepper color of your choice)
1/4-1/2 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large saucepan, heat coconut oil. Chop onion and celery and mince garlic. Add to pan and cook 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add spices and cook another minute. Next add tomatoes and spinach, put the lid on the pot for about 3 minutes, until the spinach is bright green and wilted. Then add beans, chicken, stock, and quinoa. Stir to fully incorporate. Add 1 cup of cheese, salt and pepper to taste, and stir again until the cheese melts. Bring to a gentle boil, turn heat down to a simmer, and place lid on pan, cooking for about 10-15 minutes, until the quinoa is mostly cooked (it's ok if it's not fully cooked as it will finish cooking in the oven).

Meanwhile, slice bell peppers in half lengthwise and clean out ribs and seeds. (You can leave stems on or off depending on preference. I removed the stems.) Fill peppers all the way to the top with quinoa mixture and place side by side in a large baking dish (you may need either two 8x8 dishes or a 9x13 and another small dish). Pour 1/4 cup water in each dish, enough to just coat the bottom of the dish.

Place foil on baking dishes and bake in preheated oven for one hour. Remove foil, top each stuffed bell pepper half with remaining cheese, and bake uncovered an additional 15-20 minutes, until cheese is bubbly. Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes before serving.

This recipe is a part of Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays over at Simply Sugar & Gluten Free...

Mexican Eggplant Lasagna

A few weeks back, I was just craving lasagna. Ooey, gooey, cheesy, hearty, classic comfort food. However, I have yet to find gluten free lasagna noodles. I know they're out there; I've seen them online. But unfortunately, I cannot access them locally at my co-op. Pondering an alternative, I wondered how eggplant would do standing in for the noodles... I decided to give it a try. So glad I did! They worked beautifully.

This lasagna dish isn't about classic Italian flavors though. I thought it would be fun to see how a one-pot, cheesy lasagna-ish dish would do in an earthly, smokey, cumin-scented bake. Superb, as a matter of fact!  Completely vegetarian, thanks to the black beans filling in for the traditional ground beef, makes this dish not only oh-so satisfying on the belly, but also on the wallet (a 1/2 cup of dried beans goes for mere chump change, while grass-fed beef can cost you $5-$6/lb.).

And because this dish is smoothed in cheese, it's a verifiable kid-friendly dish in our house. (Anything with cheese- I mean, everything with cheese- is the way my kids would have it if I let them!)

Mexican Eggplant Lasagna


2 medium eggplants, peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch thick slices
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt, pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
1/2 cup prepared salsa
1 14 oz. can chopped tomatoes
1 cup cooked black beans
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon oregano
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 scallions or 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped (or both)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lay eggplant slices in a single layer on baking sheet (you may need two baking sheets). Drizzle olive oil over eggplant and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until soft (you don't want them crispy). Remove from oven and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat a large saucepan with remaining olive oil (about 1 tablespoon) over medium-low heat. When hot, add garlic and onion and saute until translucent (about 5-6 minutes). Add salsa, tomatoes, black beans, cumin, and oregano and stir. Continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine cottage and shredded cheeses and stir to combine. Set aside.

To assemble, start by laying about 4 eggplant slices on the bottom of an 8x8 inch baking dish. Add 1/3 of the tomato/black bean mixture, then add 1/3 of the cheeses. Repeat this layering process two more times, until all ingredients are used. Top with scallions or cilantro.

Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven, take off foil, and let rest approximately 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 6-9.

(those little hands just can't resist anything with cheese!)

This recipe is a part of the Gluten Free Homemaker's carnival event: Gluten Free Wednesdays...

Creamy Pasta with Leeks and Mushrooms

This is such a yummy meal... so creamy and satisfying it just makes you feel comforted as you eat it. I left out meat altogether, opting for a vegetarian version and am really glad I did, as it allows the leeks and mushrooms to take center stage. I think leeks are so perfect here, as they themselves take on an almost creamy taste when sauteed. And the frozen peas not only give this dish some vibrant color, but I also love the way they "pop" in your mouth with every bite. (My kids happen to love peas, so any dish I can throw peas into, I know my kids will eat it!)

If you're not a goat cheese lover, I encourage you to try this recipe anyway. Although I do happen to love the stuff, my husband is not such a big fan. But to tell you the truth, he had no idea this recipe had goat cheese in it... and was ooohing and ahhhing with every bite. It seems like the pesto and veggies take the usual "bite" off the goat cheese, putting all the focus on the creaminess factor and less on the distinct "goat cheese" flavor. (And, of course, if you love goat cheese like me, then this recipe is a must try!)

Creamy Pasta with Leeks and Mushrooms


2 cups uncooked brown rice penne pasta (I use Trader Joe's)
1 tablespoon coconut oil
3 cloves garlic
2 leeks
10 button mushrooms
3 tablespoons pesto
5 oz. goat cheese
1/2 cup frozen peas
1-2 tablespoons water (if needed)
salt, pepper

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain cooking water and set cooked pasta aside.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Mince garlic and add to pan, cooking for 1-2 minutes. Wash and chop leeks and mushrooms into slices and add to pan. Cook an additional 4-5 minutes, until vegetables are tender.

Add pesto and goat cheese to vegetable mixture and stir to incorporate (until the mixture is completely creamy). Add in the cooked pasta, peas, and water (if needed) and stir. Salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 4.

Stir Fried Quinoa

I've been dreaming about food lately. Kinda like Carolyn over at Dreaming About Food... (you must check out her blog... I perused it for over an hour the other day, drooling all over my desk as I scrolled through her delicious-looking recipes!). I've been dreaming about food because I've been a tad stressed lately. And food is what I do when I'm stressed. Not eat food per say, but cook food, create recipes, and be in my kitchen (ah ha! that's where those last 18 hours went!). And to say I'm stressed is not entirely accurate. I am stressed with the house thing, keeping it clean for showings and open houses. I am stressed with my 16 month old son who is walking now and all over the place and into everything. But that's about it. The rest of my life is bliss. So I think I'm dealing with my stress better than I could if I didn't have a kitchen and access to some really wonderful organic food.

So what food have I been dreaming about? Oh you name it baby! Fresh vegetables in all colors, flavors, and textures (eggplant, snow peas, cauliflower, garlic, ginger, sweet potatoes, beets, kale!). Decadent desserts (brownies, chocolate chip cookies, ice cream!). Super green smoothies, granola, pasta, quinoa, lasagna, tuna, black beans, hummus, apples, raw cheddar cheese!

What to do with all this dreaming about food? Get thee into the kitchen. I've kicked out some awesome recipes this week, at least one blog-worthy one every day, so I am ready to roll them out. Since quinoa has really been at the top of my craving list, I decided I'd share this one first. (Note: this is so delicious, you may want to double the recipe so you have leftovers. I ate this all by myself in one day, although not for the same meal, but you get the idea...?!)


Stir Fried Quinoa

1/2 cup water or chicken stock
1/2 cup quinoa
1 tablespoon coconut oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
1 medium carrot, chopped
4-5 crimini mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup snow peas
1 cup cauliflower, chopped
2 cups lightly packed fresh spinach
1 cup rotisserie chicken, cubed (optional)
1 egg, whisked
1 tablespoon brown rice vinegar
1 tablespoon gluten free soy sauce (such as Bragg's)
1 scallion, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

To begin, cook quinoa by placing water or stock in a small saucepan and adding quinoa. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat coconut oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and onion to pan. Cook 2-3 minutes. Then add ginger through chicken and stir fry for 7-8 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Remove veggies from pan and place in a bowl.

Add whisked egg to saucepan and cook until soft yellow curds form. Add cooked quinoa to pan and stir fry with the egg for 2-3 minutes.

Add vegetables back to pan with egg and quinoa, along with vinegar and soy sauce. Stir to combine. Remove from heat and toss in scallion and cilantro.

Serves 2-3.

This recipe is a part of Gluten Free Wednesdays at the Gluten Free Homemaker...

Tuscan Chicken Sausage and Chickpeas

 

My husband and I are just about to put our house on the market. This has been a long journey, spanning many months, of praying and discussing this major life decision. Seven years, a whole lot of remodeling, decorating, nesting, and it may just be our time to move. I've been quite the emotional person lately (poor hubby, he'll never quite understand the emotions of a woman), but am trusting for God's guidance and direction. 

This morning we signed the paperwork with our realtor, making it pretty darn official. To prepare, we woke up early to finish some last minute details. I have to say, as much work as it has been so far, it was such a good feeling to de-clutter throughout this whole process. I feel clean. I can relax. Even if we weren't going to sell our house, I would love continuing to live without so much stuff. I hope that where ever we end up next (or even if we stay in our current house) we will live more simply, both needing and wanting less... things. 

I can honestly say that for the first time, we have spring-cleaned. And it feels sooooo good!

I haven't quite spring-cleaned my recipes just yet. Therefore I'm posting this recipe as probably the last of my hearty, warming dishes for this winter season. I got some major thumbs up for this one. All of my boys (hubby and the kiddos) loved it. I had it as leftovers the following night and it may have tasted even better. My recommendation is to use a really good quality chicken sausage (I get mine from the butcher counter at my co-op), as this is really the star of this dish.

Very soon I hope to be posting fresh, light, springtime recipes. (Let's just pray that we don't get anymore blizzards!)


Tuscan Chicken Sausage and Chickpeas


1 tablespoon coconut oil
1/2 onion
3 cloves garlic
2 stalks celery
1 pound sweet and/or spicy Italian chicken sausage, casings removed
2 cups cooked chickpeas
1 14 ounce can chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons pesto
salt, pepper

Heat coconut oil over medium-low heat in a large saucepan. Chop onion and celery and mince garlic. Add to pan. Cook 1-2 minutes. Add chicken sausage and, using a wooden spoon, break up the sausage into bite sized pieces. Cook for an additional 8-10 minutes, until chicken sausage is cooked through. Add chickpeas, tomatoes, chicken stock, and pesto. Stir to incorporate. Bring to a low boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5- 10 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

Vegetable Curry with Sweet Potato

I'm on a bit of a sweet potato kick these days, as I mentioned in my post yesterday. I've been developing hordes of recipes with them, and will be sharing a few of those recipes this week. This sweet potato curry combines both my love of sweet potatoes and my love of curry into one super delicious, easy, and hearty vegetable dish.

I think it's so important to eat lots of warming spices during the winter to help keep our immune systems in tip-top shape. Think: cumin, cinnamon, curry, turmeric, nutmeg, cloves, paprika, cayenne, ginger... the list goes on (these are just my staples that I use daily in the winter in soups, smoothies, on meats and vegetables, in baked goods, etc.).

Speaking of smoothies, I have been on a smoothie kick lately! I have been one with my Vitamix, using it to whip up those glasses of liquid nutrients faster than you can make a cup of coffee. I've shared my all-time favorite smoothie recipe on my blog before- grapefruit and cilantro with cinnamon- and it's divine. But lately I haven't had my hands on any cilantro, so in its place I've been using dark, leafy greens of all varieties: beet greens, spinach, collards, kale. And it is just as delicious.

(A tip when making smoothies using dark, leafy greens: add a few tablespoons of lemon or lime juice, or a half of a lemon or lime squeezed in. For whatever reason, it just helps to take the "edge" off the green-ness, and makes the smoothie not just palatable, but amazingly delicious. I will be sharing my favorite winter green smoothie soon, so stay tuned.)

How about you? What food is getting you through the winter? Curries and sweet potatoes and smoothies like me? :)


Vegetable Curry


1 tablespoon coconut oil
2 cloves garlic
1/2 yellow onion
2 carrots
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled
1 medium sweet potato
2 yukon gold potatoes
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup peas, fresh or frozen

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.

Mince garlic cloves, and chop onion and ginger. When oil is melted, add to pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.

Meanwhile, chop carrots, sweet potato, and yukon gold potatoes into bite sized pieces. Add to pan along with tomatoes, chicken stock, and spices.

Stir and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Add peas and cook an additional five minutes.

Serve over cooked quinoa or brown rice.

Sausage and Pesto Pizza Pies

This is such a fun, fun, fun recipe. My inspiration is from Kelly The Spunky Coconut's Spinach and Artichoke Pies. I tweaked her original recipe to fit with my own pantry staples and have made it several times, each time changing up the filling to whatever I happen to have on hand and whatever sounds good at the moment (ever the spontaneous cook). This filling happens to be my favorite, a classic paring of sausage and pesto, with a hint of sweet tomato.

I'm telling you though: no matter what you decide on as a filling (try my way first, then once you get the hang of it, experiment a bit), this dough will absolutely transform your gluten free life. I honestly never thought a pizza pie/calzone/pizza pocket/whatever you want to call it, was possible sans gluten. Kelly showed me that, not only is it possible, it is easy and absolutely delicious. I am overjoyed that such a traditionally glutenous meal is now part of my family's mealtime repertoire.

Please note that the chicken sausage I use here is fully cooked (either Amy's or Trader Joe's), which makes the filling come together in very short order. With two young children, I need all the shortcuts I can get. Also note that I always use chicken sausage without a pork casing, because pork is unclean (see Leviticus 11:7), not to mention just plain unhealthy (please read Holy Cow for some amazingly alarming news about swine).

Another great thing about this recipe is that it is kid-friendly. My son tells me at the dinner table the night we ate these, "Huh? Very tasty mommy." (As if he was surprised? That's a four year old, I guess.) Even my baby loved it, and ate half of one all by himself. For leftovers, I packaged each individual pizza pie in a piece of aluminum foil so that it was ready to go in our lunch the next day.

But the best part of this recipe is that it is just fun (haven't I said that already?). Do try!

Sausage and Pesto Pizza Pies

Filling:

1 teaspoon coconut oil
1/2 yellow onion
2 chicken sausage links (such as Amy's or Trader Joe's), about 4 ounces
1/2 cup chopped cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons pesto
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Pizza pie dough:

2 eggs

1/3 cup coconut oil

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1 1/3 cup almond flour

1/3 cup coconut flour

1/3 cup tapioca flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon garlic powder

pinch salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a large baking sheet with coconut oil.

To make the filling, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Chop onion and chicken sausages into bite size pieces and add to hot pan. Add chopped tomatoes. Saute for 5 or so minutes, until onions are translucent. Stir in pesto, turn heat down to low, and simmer until dough is ready.

To make pizza pie dough, whisk eggs in a medium bowl. Melt coconut oil and add to eggs, along with apple cider vinegar. Whisk again to combine. In a separate large bowl, add all dry ingredients and mix. Add wet ingredients to dry and stir with a large spoon until a soft dough ball forms. Divide the dough into 4-5 equal size balls.

Lay out a piece of parchment paper on the counter. Take one dough ball and place on one side of parchment paper. Fold the other side of parchment paper a top of the dough ball. Press down the dough ball with your hand, until it forms a small, even circle. Using a rolling pin, continue to roll out dough until it reaches a 6 inch size circle. Carefully peel off the top piece of parchment paper.

Using a spoon, section the filling into equal size portions, depending on how many dough balls you made. Scoop one portion of the filling onto one half of the dough ball and top with 1/4 cup mozzarella, making sure to leave a 1/4 inch border. Take the parchment paper from the bottom and use it to lift the dough not covered with filling over the top of the filling so it is completely covered, forming the pie. Gently press the edges of the pie together with your fingers.

With the parchment paper underneath, pick up the pie and carefully invert it onto the prepared baking sheet. Peel off parchment paper.

Repeat with remaining dough balls, filling, and mozzarella.

Once all pies are on the baking sheet, bake for 20-22 minutes, until pies are golden brown. Let rest on baking sheet for 10-15 minutes to allow the pie crust to solidify a bit.

Ginger Orange Chicken

I had a conversation with my girlfriends recently about cooking asian food. Some seemed to think that it was way too difficult and complicated to make at home, opting for take-out every time. I think it is easy to cook asian at home, and have been for years, since I was given a Williams Sonoma cookbook all about stir fries. And this recipe proves that it is easy... and so tasty... and so healthy (think, no MSG, no foreign meats, no who-knows-what-could-have-been-thrown-into-that-dish ingredients!). This is not a recipe from that cookbook, but rather just an off-the-cuff creation in one of my moments of creativity this afternoon. It couldn't have been more delicious. The chunks of ginger and subtle flavor of orange combine so well together. I served it with brown fried rice (with carrots, onions, and peas) and a side of steamed broccoli, making it super easy, super healthy, super balanced meal.

So go ahead... try it the next time your craving for take out strikes and I guarantee you'll be satisfied!


Ginger Orange Chicken

Sauce:

1 medium naval orange

2 tablespoons Bragg's liquid aminos (or gluten free soy sauce)

2 tablespoons raw honey

1 tablespoon brown rice vinegar

pinch crushed red pepper

Chicken:
1 tablespoon coconut oil
4 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons peeled and chopped ginger
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons arrowroot powder

For the sauce, squeeze all the juice out of orange into bowl. Add Bragg's through crushed red pepper and stir until thoroughly combined. Set aside.

Melt coconut oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Meanwhile mince garlic and cut chicken into bite sized pieces. Once oil is hot, add garlic and ginger to pan. Saute for 2-3 minutes. Add chicken to pan, sprinkle arrowroot powder over chicken, and let cook for 7-8 minutes, until underside is cooked. Turn chicken pieces over so the pink side cooks for another 7-8 minutes (chicken should be almost completely cooked at this point).

Add sauce to pan and scrape the bottom of the pan with a spoon or spatula to deglaze. Turn heat up to medium-high and cook for 3-4 minutes stirring constantly, until sauce is thick.

Serve with brown rice and a side of steamed broccoli for a well rounded meal.

This recipe is a part of Simply Sugar and Gluten Free's Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays...

Red Beans & Quinoa

I know it has just started, but it sure feels the heart of winter here these days. Cold temps and buckets of snow. Not that I am complaining... I am such an active girl, the snow and cold don't stop me from getting outside. Yesterday I went skiing while the boys (and hubby) napped. It was fabulous! But when I'm inside and hungry, I want warm and hearty foods. I've been craving beans, beans, beans lately. I developed this recipe to satisfy my need for a hearty dish with beans. It's also vegan, gluten free and dairy free, and although it is hearty, it isn't heavy... so no need for a nap after this meal. In fact, it will provide you with tons of energy that will make you want to get outside and be active, despite the temps.

Usually you see red beans paired with rice, and this is what I made for my three year old, since he still hasn't quite developed his taste buds for quinoa yet. But I actually love it with quinoa, which technically isn't even a grain, but rather a seed. It's high protein, fiber, iron, magnesium, and contains balanced essential amino acids, making it a complete source of protein. Nutritious, yes, and it is also so easy and quick to cook!


Red Beans & Quinoa

1/2 cup quinoa
2 cups chicken broth, divided
1 teaspoon coconut oil
2 cloves garlic
1/2 medium red onion
2 cups red beans, cooked (I used a combo of red and adzuki)
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon tumeric
salt

To cook quinoa, heat 1 1/2 cups chicken broth in small saucepan to boil. Add quinoa and stir. Lower heat to simmer, cover, and cook for 15-20 minutes until liquid is absorbed.

Meanwhile, heat coconut oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Chop garlic and onion and add to pan when oil has melted. Stir fry for 3-5 minutes until onions are translucent. Add beans, 1/2 cup chicken broth, and spices. Salt to taste. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes.

Spoon quinoa into bowl and top with red beans.

Serves 3-4

Almond Crusted Chicken Breasts

Hubby missed the boat tonight. He decided to have a "man date" and go to the hockey game with his friend verses stay come home and have this mighty fine dinner with his fam. I guess I can't entirely blame him; do you know how much it costs to go to a NHL game these days? (A lot!) And he got a free ticket with a really good seat... see why I can't blame him?

Nonetheless, the boys and I decided to make a scrumptious dinner with meat, even if Daddy wasn't around (usually my meals without hubby are vegetarian for some reason). I had some chicken breasts dethawed in the fridge and I thought I'd try my hand at a pan fry.

Now this is big news- the "fry" thing. You have to know my history to fully understand why. I'll give you a synopsis. Back before I was married, I didn't know how to cook anything, but say a box of Kraft Mac 'n Cheese (and is that really cooking anyway?). When I started dating my then boyfriend (now husband), he really wanted me to learn to make his grandma's fried chicken. Now, I love a challenge, but come on, fried chicken? Why on earth would a bachelorette need to know how to fry a chicken? I was enamored at the challenge, and I attempted to take it head on... He wants fried chicken? Well, I'll give him fried chicken! I said determinately to myself.

So I bought a whole cut up chicken the next time I went to the grocery store, came home, and put it in my fridge, right next to the carton of milk, pack of bagels, and six pack of Diet Coke (I can't believe I'm admitting that I went through a disgusting Diet Coke phase). And all week long when I would reach into my fridge to grab one of those aforementioned bachelorette foodie staples, I would see the chicken, staring at me, taunting me, freaking me out... "I can't fry a chicken!" I cried hysterically after a week went by and that chicken didn't move from the shelf in my fridge. The thought of frying it up in my tiny kitchen, with lots of grease splattering all over the place, and loads of yucky fat sticking to it's flesh had me completely paralyzed... perplexed, and just plain old grossed out. So I threw the chicken out.

It took me months to get over that. But one day, I gussied up enough mental fortitude to buy yet another chicken. This time I thought, I'll just oven fry it... maybe my boyfriend won't know the difference...  So that's what I did. And it turned out... sort of... and my boyfriend, well, he knew, but bless his heart, he told me it was great anyway.

Suffice to say, I just don't fry things because it grosses me out. But tonight I took that fear head on once again, and, in a much healthier way, fried up these chicken wonders that will have your fingers lick'n good.


Almond Crusted Chicken Breasts

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3-4 tablespoons coconut oil
1 egg
3/4 cup almond flour
1 tablespoon garlic granuals
1 tablespoon paprika
salt, pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Rinse chicken, pat dry, and slice chicken breasts in half width wise, so as to butterfly the breasts (you want the chicken thin so it crisps up better).

Heat the coconut oil in a large skillet or sauce pan over medium-low heat.

Get out two bowls big enough to hold one piece of chicken at a time. In one bowl, crack the egg and whisk with a fork. In the other bowl, combine almond flour through salt and pepper and stir together.

Dip the chicken in the egg, then lay in the flour mixture to coat. Flip and coat the other side in flour. Place chicken piece in the skillet and repeat with remaining chicken pieces.

Brown chicken in skillet for about 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer to baking sheet and finish baking chicken in the oven for about 15 minutes until cooked through.

Gluten Free Pizza with Greens and Sausage

It feels good to post a recipe again! I've been taking a hiatus from blogging as of late, and just enjoying my time with my boys and the beautiful October weather we have been having here in Minneapolis. For anyone who lives in Minnesota, most agree that October is the favorite month out of the whole year. It's just blissfully beautiful with every turn of the leaves. The air is dry, the sun (usually) shines, the temps are crisp but not cold, and the apples and pumpkins abound. (Oops, sorry honey, I forgot to mention football!!! Silly me! What would the world be like without the amazing Oklahoma Sooners to route for on Saturday afternoons!)

I noted a while ago that I would be posting my gluten free pizza crust version, and it's just taken this long to get it perfected. I use a combination of GF flours: millet, quinoa, and sweet brown rice. I like the depth of flavor I get from a crust using this combo, but feel free to swap other GF flours of choice here, say a long-grain brown rice, white rice, sorghum, etc. I'm not so positive a nut flour would give the same result, but that is my next experimentation, so stay tuned.

I also need to add that this crust can be a bit crumbly. The xanthan gum sure helps to hold it together, but if that stuff creeps you out, like it does Kim of Affairs of Living (check out her hilarious post about her pumpkin seed teff bread here), then feel free to leave it out. I make it both ways. If you leave it out, just be warned that you will have to be a bit more careful when it comes to rolling the crust out.

And this pizza recipe wouldn't be complete with some greens. I have to talk about it, because it is such a central part of this pizza (I mean just look at the gorgeous color it adds for heaven's sake). I am a lover of all dark leafy greens and eat it just about every day. And I am thrilled to learn that I am kindred to Alicia Silverstone in this regard. I just checked out her book The Kind Diet from the library last week and learned that she eats greens at nearly every meal... oh, that's my aspiration, Alicia! Now there is a lot that I don't agree with in Alicia's food philosophy (I am, for the record, not a vegan by any stretch of the imagination, nor do I ever aspire to be one), however, she makes some really good points that we do agree on, the most important: eat lots of veggies.

So with this pizza recipe, you can have your pizza and eat (your veggies) too.


Gluten Free Pizza with Greens and Sausage

Crust
1/3 cup millet flour
1/3 cup quinoa flour
1/3 cup sweet brown rice flour
1/2 teaspoon yeast
1/3 cup warm water
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum (optional)

Toppings
3 tablespoons pesto
2 tablspoons extra virgin olive oil
3 bunches collards or other greens
1/2 yellow onion
1-2 precooked chicken sausages (I use Amy's), any flavor
1/3 cup crumbled feta

For the crust:

If you are starting with whole grains as opposed to the flours, use 1/4- 1/3 cups of each grain and process into a flour using a flour mill or Vitamix dry blade (if using Vitamix like I did, let the grains process for about 1 minute to ensure the right consistency).

Put warm water in a small bowl. Add the yeast and allow to set for about 5 minutes (the yeast will get foamy when ready to use).

Add flours to a mixing bowl. Add yeast/water mixture and remaining ingredients. Stir to combine and form into a ball (add more water as necessary if dough is too crumbly). Drizzle olive oil at the bottom of the mixing bowl and add dough ball, swirling the dough ball around in the oil to coat.

Let the dough rest about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 and, if using a pizza stone, place it in the oven at this time. Chop or chiffande collards or greens into tiny strips. Chop onion and slice sausages into bite size pieces.

Back to the crust... after dough has rested, lightly flour a silicone mat (or parchment paper) and rolling pin with gluten free flour. Place dough in the middle of the mat. Roll dough out to a 10 inch circle (or if you prefer, a similar size rectangle).

Pull the pizza stone out of the oven and lightly sprinkle gluten free flour on top to prevent the crust from sticking to it. (If using a baking sheet, also sprinkle with flour for same purpose). Take the dough and carefully flip it over onto the pizza stone or baking sheet. Peel off the silicone mat or parchment paper. Take a fork and poke a few holes in the crust to let the air escape and prevent it from bubbling.

The crust is done... whew!!! (It's really easy once you get the hang of it, trust me!)

Add the pesto and olive oil to the crust and spread evenly across top of crust. Add collards, onion, sausage and top with feta.

Bake for 17 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing with pizza cutter.

Enjoy with your favorite movie and snuggle partner (thanks, hubby, for sharing the pizza-movie-night  tradition with me!)