Tropical Pasta Salad

Pasta salad in the gluten free world can be a challenge. You need to be able to give the salad flavor with out weighing it down with all the dressing. This recipe is filled with summer flavor.

Ingredients:

2 Cups Gluten Free Pasta Twist
1 Cup Cherry Tomatoes
1 Mango Diced
1/2 Cup Cilantro
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 Pepper
1 tsp Oregano
2 Tbs Olive Oil
1/2 Sugar

Cook pasta making sure you do over cook it. You want the pasta to be firm and not loss any shape. While pasta cooks, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, sugar and oregano.
When pasta is done run under cool water and drain well. Place the cooled pasta in a large bowl and add tomatoes sliced in half, cilantro and mango. Toss is all together and then add dressing before serving. Enjoy!

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Stuffed Chicken

I made this recipe in minutes and was shocked by how well it came out. A great way to change up that normal week night chicken breast.

Ingredients:

2 Chicken Breast

1 Bell Pepper

4 Tbs grated Parm Cheese

1/4 Balsamic Vinegar

1/4 Wine ( What ever kind you are drinking)

1/2 Tbs Salt

1/2 Tbs Pepper

1 Tbs Oregano

Butter Fly the chicken breast. This means slice chicken in the middle leaving one side uncut so that it opens like a book. Salt and pepper the chicken all over and place in a bowl. Add a mixture of the vinegar, wine and oregano and allow it sit for an hour. While waiting roast the red pepper whole in the oven at 500 degrees or on broil. Once it starts too blacken, remove and peel off skin. Cut of stem and remove seeds. Slice the pepper in half so you have two flat pieces. When chicken is ready lay each breast open on a plate. Lay one piece of pepper on top of each and fill with 2 Tbs of cheese. Fold the breast closed and place in baking dish. Pour remaining marinade on top and cook for 15 minutes at 350 degress. After about ten minutes I spooned some sauce on the bottom over the chicken to help keep it moist. Enjoy.

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Walnut Crusted Salmon

Salmon is truly my favorite fish and I am always looking for new and fun ways to change it up. I always see nut crusted seafood item’s on restaurant menu’s but they are never gluten free and they are always high in calorie. My version is easy to make and you will feel good about it.

Ingredients:

1-2 Pounds of Salmon Cut in to Serving Size Slices

1 Cup Crushed Nuts (Walnut, Pecans, Pistachios)

1/2 Cup Chopped Parsley

1 Lemon Cut into Wedges

1 tsb Salt

1 Tbs Butter or Oil

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Place Crushed nuts, parsley, 1/4 lemon, salt and butter in food processor to blend it all together into a paste. Spread even amounts of nut mixture on each piece. Splash a little more lemon on top and place in the oven. Bake at 350 for about 10-15 mins. depending on size and then boil on high for an addition few minutes until tops begin to brown. Enjoy!

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Baked Wings

Since I was young I have always loved Chicken Wings. Being gluten free and also always health conscious I have found a way to make great wings with out all the extra oil from frying. My recipe is super easy and cuts down on 1/3 of the calories, super easy to do and avoids cross contamination from using a regular fryer. They are so good you can full anyone to thinking you ordered them from takeout.

Ingredients:

30 Cleaned Chicken Wings

2 Tbs Olive Oil

2 Tbs Paprika

1 Tbs Garlic Powder

1 Tbs Onion Powder

Start by washing and drying the wings. Place wings in a big bowl and coat all the wings with oil. Add all the seasoning and mix well. Pour wings on two foiled and well sprayed baking sheets. Make sure the wings do not overlap. Bake at 400 degrees for 60 min then flip them over and cook an additional 30 minutes.

Serve warm with any dipping sauce and celery sticks. A healthy alternative to the high calorie blue cheese dressing is 1/2 Cup Greek Yogurt + 2 OZ Blue Cheese Crumbles + Pinch of Salt.

Enjoy!!!!

Pumpkin Hummus

As always I continue to look for fun new ways to use pumpkin. I was trying to come up with something fun for a brunch and I figured a pumpkin spread would work great. With an idea of hummus in my mind this is what I created.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups Pumpkin
1 Can Chickpeas
2 Tbs Peanut Butter
2 Tbs Almond Milk
1/2 Vanilla Extract
Pinch of Salt
2 tsp Pumpkin Spice
2 Tbs Brown Sugar
1 Tbs Splenda

Start by blending chickpeas, almond milk and peanut butter in a food processor until smooth. Nest add all remaining ingredients. Once its well blended place in a clean bowl and store in fridge until you read to serve but for at least 30 min.

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Apple Butter

The good stuff does not get much easier then this. This recipe works like magic and its so good and healthy I cant stop eating it all. Great way to save any extra apples you have from apple picking this season. Plus a jar of this stuff will be great gift during the holidays.

Ingredients:

5 Large Apples

2 tsp Cinnamon

Juice 1 Lemon

*Optional tsp pumpkin spice

* Optional Sugar (I did not use any)

Cuts the large apples into sections. Keep the peels on because it is what adds the color and constancy to the final product. Place all the apples in a large slow cook. Add lemon and spices and mix. Turn the slow cooker on low for 6 hours. After the 6 hours stir lightly and the apple magically become a butter pure. No need to mash or anything. Return the lid and cook for another few hours. Once you have the color you want, remove from heat and allow to cool. Then place the whole mixture in a blender to blend till you have a smooth butter.

From here I put it into jars and continued with my normal jar preserving process. You could just leave it in the fridge and you will have about 3 weeks on it. Butter will become much more firm in the fridge regardless of preserving it or not.

I copy and pasted my preserving process below.

This recipe was a small batch and made 3 small jars worth. Start with the two pot set up below:

Pot 1- The next pot should be small with hot water for cleaning the lids. When you preserve anything in jars, the metal circle part of the lid is not re-usable. Each time you must use new lids.This is because they have a rubber lining that helps form a seal but it only works once. The jar and twisty top are good for many uses but not the flat part of the lid. In order to active the new flat top you must heat the lids to help soften the rubber. Do this by putting just the flat part of the lid in the pot with very hot water but not boiling and allow it to sit for about ten minutes before processing.

Pot 2 – Place water into the pot high enough to cover the jars with a little extra water because water will evaporate. You should use the biggest pot you own for this one like a lobster pot. Place a small towel in the bottom of the pot. This acts like a pillow to avoid the jars from breaking in the pot. Place the jars and lids in the pot and bring water to boil. Boil for ten minutes and then keep the jars in the hot water until your ready to fill.

Once the butter is blended well you can start the process. Remove jars from hot water and drip dry. Fill each jar with apple butter about one half inch from top. Clean the tops of the jar well with a clean towel to insure that you will make a good seal between the jar and lid. Place the lids on jars. Its important not to twist the lid on to tight because you want air to escape. A good rule is to make it finger tight. It will not open in the water because the lid forms a seal. As simple as this is many people really destroy what they make by not following this step.

Next, place the complete jars in the big pot of water on high heat for ten minutes. Once the water is boiling you may want to lower it a bit to keep the jars from moving to much. After ten minutes CAREFULLY remove the the jars with tongs from pot and place on counter. Its important not to put the jars on a cold surface because the sudden change in temp from the hot water to the cold counter can break the glass.

The final step is my favorite. I call it the canning musical. Once jars are out of the water you want to hear each lid make a pop sound. This insures a good seal. The sound is like the what you hear when you open a glass juice bottle. This can take up to 15 minutes depending on room temp. If you don’t hear the pop or see an indent on the top of the lid then you should keep that jar in the fridge and use it first.

Now I have apple butter all season and some great gifts. Goes great in yogurts, on toast or on top of pork chops :)

Enjoy!!!!

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No Joke Banana Pancake

I am always on the hunt for super easy and healthy breakfast. Can never go wrong with pancakes :) You wont believe this one until you try it.

1 Banana

1 Egg

1 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Sugar

(Optional) Pinch of Cinnamon

Put all ingredients in food processor and blend will. Allow mix to sit for a few minutes and then cook on a hot, oiled pan.

I am not sure why but the second batch is always better.

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Ketchup

Ketchup:

I have always been a fan of the homemade ketchup that I have had at all the fun brunch places in the city. Since the store bought ketchup is filled with preservatives and high fructose corn syrup I figured it’s the guilt free foodie cuties job to change that. My version is so good you will eat it out the jar. Its low sugar but you would have no idea.

Ingredients:

2 (6oz) Cans of tomato paste

¾ Cups of apple cider vinegar

2 ½ Cups Water

1 Tbsp Onion Powder

1 Tbsp Garlic Power

2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon or all-spice

Place all ingredients in a pot and mix well. Cook uncovered at a low simmer for about an hour until it is at the thickness you desire. Allow it to cool and then place in a jar in the fridge. It should last at least 3 weeks.

As always, feel free to take it up to the next level and get creative. Try making it spicy or adding some fun spices and give it your own spin.

Ketchup does not need to only be a condiment, try using it in some fun recipes like my family’s favorite honey chicken.

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