Monthly Archives: October 2013

Mediterranean Chicken Burger

I love all my international and fancy foods but something about a burger is always appealing. It is one dish that can easily be customized and adjusted to add a punch of flavor.  I like heathy alternatives like salmon and turkey burger but I wanted to kick it up a bit. This chicken burger is made fresh chicken breast, roasted peppers and a blend of herbs.

 

Ingredients:

2 Chicken Breast – Cut into cubes or 1 1/2 Pound Ground Chicken

1 Egg

1/3 Cup Ground Pecans

1 Red Pepper

1 Tbs Dried Oregano

1 Tbs Italian Seasoning

2 tsp Salt

1 tsp Pepper

2 Tbs Balsamic

1/2 White Onion Diced

Start by placing pepper under the broiler or in a 500 degree oven. Turn every few minutes until the outside starts to blacken all over. While pepper is cooking add onion to a hot pan that is sprayed well. Cooking onion over medium heat, add a 1/4 of water after a few minutes and cook until onions is translucent. Next, lower heat and add balsamic and cook until very little liquid remains. When onions are done place in a blender or food processor. Once pepper is black remove skin, stem and seeds and add to onion. Blend it all together an place in a large bowl.

If using full chicken breast take the pieces of the chicken and grind them up in the food processor. Add chicken to the bowl with pepper and onion mix. To that add one egg, oregano, salt, pepper and italian seasoning. Mix it all together. Then add the pecans and mix again.

Heat a pan to medium high heat and spray well. Place about 6oz size patties of the mix into the pan. Cook each side for four minutes until they are golden brown on each side.

I served the patties on two large slices of eggplant roasted, instead of bread. Use any burger toppings you want and enjoy!!!

 

 

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Gluten Halloween Candy Idea’s

Halloween is around the corner and I have been getting a ton of question about safe gluten free candy. A lot of classic favorites are safe but gluten can be in some candy’s that many people  are not aware. To be safe, always READ the label or contact the company.

Safe Gluten Free Candy:

  • Original Butter Finger
  • Sno-Caps
  • Fun Dip
  • Pixy Stix
  • Laffy Taffy
  • Raisinets (my fav 🙂 )
  • M&M’s Original
  • 3 Musketeer
  • Milky Way
  • Dove Chocolate
  • Snickers
  •  Smarties
  • Almond Joy
  • Mounds
  • Kisses
  • Rees’s Peanut Butter Cups
  • York Patties
  • Heath Bar
  • Skittles

Not Gluten Free

  • Twizzlers
  • Cookie and Cream Bars
  • Mr. Goodbar
  • Hershey Extra Dark Chocolate
  • Take 5
  • Kit Kat
  • Licorice
  • Clark Bar
  • Crunch Bar
  • Airheads (made in a facility with wheat)
  • Brach’s Candy Corn (made in a facility with wheat)
  • Nerds (made in a facility with wheat)
  • Whoppers
  • Warheads

With extra candy you have after the big day have fun putting it to good use. I like to make graveyard brownies. Using either store bought gf brownies or making my own. Then topping with chocolate frosting and getting creative.  Use pep’s, colored sugar and candy to make your brownies look like a spooky graveyard.

Another fun snack is making a candy pizza. Top a gluten free pizza crust with some peanut butter and then sprinkle you favorite candy, dry fruit or cereal on top. Fun for kids to do and a great way to prevent them from eating to much candy at a time.

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Healthy Pumpkin Truffles

I was asked to make so fun halloween treats for a show but wanted to come up with something that was a little bit on the healthy side. These little no bake morsels are easy to do and fun to eat.

Ingredients –

3/4 Cup Gluten Free Instant Oat Meal

1/2 Cup Coconut Flour

1/2 Cup Pumpkin

1 tsp Vanilla

1 tsp Baking Powder

1/4 Cup Mini Chocolate Chips

2 Tbs Honey

1/4 Cup Sugar

2 tsp Cinnamon

1 Cup White Chocolate Chips (Optional)

Start my mixing oatmeal, coconut flour, baking powder, cinnamon and sugar together. Then add pumpkin, vanilla, mim chocolate chips and honey. Mix and cool in refrigerator for an hour. Then roll into one inch balls. And either serve as is or dip into melted white chocolate and chill to harden. Enjoy!

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Pumpkin Pie Frapachinoo

It is officially Pumpkin season and my favorite time of year. I always joke that I could make anything with pumpkin. This recipe ironically is has no actual pumpkin but the spices along makes you think of any classic fall beverage. Plus this recipe has no added sugar!

Ingredient:

1 Frozen Banana

1 Cup Almond Milk

1 Oz Espresso

1/2 Tbs Pumpkin Spice Mix

Add espresso and  milk to a blender and whip up. Then add frozen banana and spice. Blend  well and serve cold.

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Del Real Frozen Gluten Free Foods

It continues to be a challenge anytime I want an easy GF option when I am hungry and in a rush. Very few companies have come up with anything that is quick, easy and enjoyable. Even tho I love to cook I am always looking for something I can just throw in the microwave and serve. Del Real has come up with a large product line of frozen mexican foods that are all 100% gluten free. What is unique is that the purpose of the line is to be a great frozen mexican option and it is inherently GF.  Items range from side dishes like rice, to grab-and- go items like tamales and then great main dishes like carnitas, pork in green sauce, beef pot roast that are all made to feed 4-5 people.

As for the quality all the products everything is top notch. I travel to mexico a lot and lived in Central America for a bit and all the flavors are original and delicious.  Tamales are one of my favorite street foods and hard to find frozen and GF but these are just perfect. I actually had to hide the last ones in the freezer from my boyfriend. The rice stood out because most flavored rice mixes contain something that is not GF safe but this mix was great. It went well with everything we tried.

If your looking for an easy option to keep around this stuff is for you. Since everything is inherently gluten free, its a solution for family’s feeding gluten free and none gluten free individuals.

They also made some great clips with fun recipe ideas:

http://youtu.be/pt5ywxIStCE

Check it all out at: http://www.delrealfoods.com/

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Fall Harvest Chicken

Fall flavors are in full swing and I am always looking for new flavor combos to change it up. I wanted to play off the classic recipe my mom made as a child using brisket. Since my time is limited during the week I figured chicken would help speed it up.

Ingredients:

1 Pound Chicken Breast sliced thin

1/2 Onion Sliced Thin

1/2 Pound Mushrooms sliced think

6 Prunes Chopped

1/2 Pomegranate seeds plus 2 Tbs for garnish

3/4 Cup Water

2 Tbs Balsamic

1 Tbs Brown Sugar

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Pepper

Start by sautéing the onions with brown sugar in a well sprayed pan until they start to become translucent.  While onions cook, salt and pepper the chicken breast on each side. Place the chicken in the pan with onions and brown on each side. This should take no longer then one minute per side on high heat. Remove chicken from pan and place on a plate. To the pan add balsamic and water and mix well, scraping the bottom of the pan a bit. Add the prunes, pomegranate and mushrooms then lower heat to medium. Add chicken back to pan and bring liquid to a simmer. Cover pan partially and turn chicken every few minutes. Cook until liquid is almost gone. Serve chicken with onions, and fruit on top. Garnish plate with extra pomegranate seeds.

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Blue Cheese Slaw

This time of year I try to come up with new football snacks. Chicken wing are my favorite but I always need extra celery and carrot so. This is a great combo and is a fun side dish to any chicken dish.

Ingredients:

5 Carrots Grated

4 Medium Celery Stalks Finally Chopped

1/2 Cup Blue Cheese Dressing (try my healthy version)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Mix everything together and allow it to chill in the fridge. Stir and serve with grill chicken and baked wings.

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Cat Fish Nuggets

I love fun new twists on classic dishes. Fried catfish is normally something that is not gluten free. My version is baked, not fried.  Breaded with nuts, corn and spices that add a great punch of flavor.

Ingredients:

1 Pound Catfish Pieces (no bones or skin)

1/2 Cup Corn Meal

1/4 Cup Crushed Pecans

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Casshion Seasoning

1/2 tsp Chili Powder

1 tsp Garlic Powder

1 Egg

2 Tbs water

Mix together one egg and water in a large bowl. Rinse the fish and add to the egg mixture. Place fish aside. In another bowl combine corm meal, pecans, salt and spices. Now place a few pieces of fish at a time in the cornmeal mixture and coat each piece. Place each coated piece of coated fish on an oiled baking sheet and bake at 400 degrease for 12 minutes.

Serve with a dippings sauce. I combines ketchup, hot sauce and sweet relish.

 

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Raindbow Baked Fries

Who does not love a side a fries with a good burger or sandwich. The salty, well seasoned crispy finger food that can be picked up and dipped into a mix a fun sauces. Well I am always looking for healthier alternatives. The idea of deep fried potatoes with no nutritional value is painful. My version is baked, and filled with all the good stuff. Plus the fun colors make it look great on your plate.

 

Ingredients –

2 Cups Baby Carrots

1 Medium Eggplant

1 Zucchini

1/2 Cups Salt plus 2 teaspoons for seasoning.

1 Tbs Cajan Seasoning

1/2 Tbs Olive Oil

Cooking Spray

The first step is to prep the eggplant. Start by cutting the eggplant into large rounds and laying on a baking sheet. Using the half cup of salt, cover each piece, then flip and do the same on the other side. Let the eggplant sit for 45min- 1 hour allowing the salt to pull a lot of the water away. Turning the eggplant slices over mid-way is helpful.

While the eggplant sits. Slice the zucchini in half and then each side into three long pieces. Cut each strip into thirds so that you have two inch sticks. Toss the zucchini sticks into  bowl. Add the carrot sticks to the bowl.

Once eggplant is done rinse each piece very well with water and pat dry. Slice each round into half inch thick strips. Add eggplant to the bowl of carrots and zucchini. Lightly mix them up by hand and coat with some nonstick spray. Add olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt and cajan seasoning. Toss everything together and then lay it all out flat and a large, foiled, well sprayed baking sheet. Baking at 450 degrees for about 30 minutes, turning half way.

Enjoy!

 

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