kale, minneola & avocado salad

DO NOT BE SCARED OF KALE!!

its a super food & with any kind of joint issues you will make this leafy green one of your new favorites!! I like mine raw or in smoothies- kind of a crisp and light cabbage like flavor. but you can also steam, sautee & put into sauces. ( i sometimes add a bit to pesto for more nutrients ) 

-Roughly chopped kale

-Peeled & sectioned minneola
-Sliced avocado 


Dressing is simple. 

Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Dijon mustard 
Salt 
Pepper

Stir.

beef stew

Beef Stew : total comfort food on a rainy, snowy, icy winters day!! 

You will need:
3 potatoes cubed
1 onion sliced 
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
4 carrots, cut into circles
Celery, roughly chopped into big pieces
1-2 cups of wine
Brown rice flour
Olive oil
Beef broth (make sure you check if its gluten free!!)
1 sprig of rosemary
Salt & pepper
Cubed stew beef - 2-3lbs

Preheat oven to 375 

Take your cubed meat and throw into a ziplock bag with brown rice flour. Mix all around- make sure you coat it all. 

Sautée the onions and garlic in olive oil that has completely covered the frying pan.

When wilted and translucent transfer to a deep roasting dish and add a container of beef broth, rosemary and 2 cups of cheap red wine. 
Then in the remaining oil fry the beef cubes until browned. 
When brown, remove and put into roasting dish. Cover dish with tin foil (for entire time in oven.) it will be in the oven for 45minutes. 

Then add veggies & cover again for another 45minutes. 

After that amount of time it should be ready & absolutely delicious!!! 

Enjoy! You won't even know it isn't made with wheat flour. 
You can also do chicken as a substitute. 

chicken cacciatore

CHICKEN CACCIATORE - MAMA MIA, YOU WILLA' LOVAH' THIS ONE..

 

anyway.. this is a huge favorite with my father in law who happens to be Italian, so i take huge pride in knowing i can cook something with 'gravy' and it be to his standards..shhhh, don't tell him i found a wonderful jar of 'sauce' that he loves.

you will need:

1 container cremini mushrooms, quartered
1 red pepper, sliced
1 green pepper, sliced
1 yellow pepper, sliced
1 onion, sliced
a nice sprinkling of oregano
s&p
drizzles of olive oil
chicken, i use the tenders- (and i tend to make a lot!! but i also have used bone in breasts in the past & it is equally delicious)
2 jars of RAO'S homemade 'GRAVY/SAUCE/WHATEVER'


-first, preheat oven to 375 and place your veggies and chicken into an oven safe deep casserole dish.. sprinkle with salt, pepper, oregano & drizzle with olive oil. cover with aluminum foil for 20minutes.
-wait until it is cooked down with yummy veggie juices.. then cover the chicken & veggie mix with 2 jars of RAO's homemade sauce.. ( i swear it is all about this sauce.. i know its expensive, if you want to buy one and use tomato paste and a lil bit of water, it will be delicious as well )
-check on it every 25minutes.. i usually cook mine until almost all the juices are gone and it carmellizes on side of the dish..

I LOVE THIS STUFF!!! it is so easy & so wonderful especially this time of year when it is absolutely frigid outside.
BON APPETIT!!

lemon & thyme roasted chicken

this is one of the favorites in my house!! so simple & so tasty you will be so happy to just throw it in the oven and forget about it.

- fresh thyme
- 4 lemons cut in half
- salt and pepper to taste
- onion powder
- garlic powder
- dried parsley
- paprika
- olive oil
- 1 cup of water
- 1 whole chicken

set the oven to 350 degrees, place whole chicken in oven safe roaster pan, 
take the fresh lemons and squeeze the juice of 2 lemons on to the chicken, 
then generously coat the chicken in onion powder, garlic powder, dried parsley, paprika & sprinkle with fresh thyme. 
add the salt and pepper then drizzle with olive oil, about 2tbsp. add 1 cup of water to the bottom -- you will be VERY happy you did this when you have a delicious gravy afterwards!! make sure you keep adding a bit of water if it evaporates too much. 
place the leftover thyme and lemons on the bottom of the pan and also stuff some into the chickens body. get those flavors allllll over this yummy bird!! 
keep basting the chicken during its cooking time.
 depending on the size of the chicken is how long you cook it for..

rice paper rolls

 

these are truly one of my favorites!! so easy to make and fill with any veggies that you would like- it makes for a really refreshing snack, appetizer or even light summer dinner.

finding a rice paper wrap that is gluten free is pretty simple. they are usually made from rice and tapioca. ( ** they are not marked gluten free but i have never had an issue when eating them** ) they are so simple to use, fill a shallow large bowl with really warm to hot water - let the rice paper wrap soak in it for about 15-20 seconds then take out and lay flat on a plate and start to fill. then roll up like a burrito.. so simple and so yummy!! dip into a sweet chili sauce - make sure you read to make sure its gluten free!!! the brand pictured above, simply asia, is completely safe - with that wonderful GLUTEN FREE stamp on it- and does NOT contain soy or dairy either.

i typically use these fillers- not all at once, but get creative and make a yummy & healthy treat for your family!!

- shredded carrots
- thinly sliced avocado 
- boston bibb lettuce
- thinly sliced red peppers
- cilantro
- mint
- shrimp
- shredded chicken
- steamed asparagus
- ginger

vegan & gluten free carrot cake

i found this recipe online from food.com, and this is by far the best gluten free cake i have ever made. it was moist and had such an amazing flavor and no weird after tastes!! i used my juicer to shred the carrots and then added the fibers as well as the juice.. it really added a great orange color too!! also, i did not add the walnuts or pineapple and added apricot applesauce and it STILL turned out amazing!! 

1 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup quinoa flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup organic brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons Ener-G Egg Substitute (mixed with 2 tablespoons warm water)
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large carrots, grated (about 1 1/2 cups)
3/4 cup crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1/3 cup unsweetened flaked coconut (optional)
Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly spray or rub a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with vegetable oil.
-Sift or whisk together the flours, baking powder and soda, spices, salt, and xanthan gum in a medium bowl.
-In a large mixing bowl, beat the oil and sugar on high for a few minutes or until thick and creamy. Add the egg replacer, applesauce, and vanilla, and stir well. Stir in the carrots and pineapple.
-Add the dry mixture into the wet mixture, and stir. Add the walnuts and coconut, if using, and stir again.
-Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake 30-35 minutes, testing with a toothpick after 20 minutes. Do not overbake. Cool on a wire rack, and frost if desired.

lemon zest brussels sprouts, pomegranate rubies & satsuma oranges

start by roasting the brussels sprouts with lemon zest, shallots, olive oil, salt and pepper, wait until they are a little crispy but also softened a bit. after about 20minutes at 350degrees they should be ready- take them out and let them sit and cool a little. peel 2 satsuma oranges and have them ready along with the pomegranate seeds to combine them in a bowl with the brussels sprouts. (you CAN add sliced almonds if you would like to)

- 1 bag of brussels sprouts cut into pieces

- 1 shallot minced

- zest of 1/2 a lemon

- s & p

- 1tbsp olive oil

- 2 satsuma oranges peeled and pulled apart

- pomegranate rubies

- almond slices if desired 

pumpkin seeds

pumpkin picking with my lil guy is so much fun- and the best part is scooping out its guts and plopping them on a cookie sheet with different spices and some salt!! this snack is just about the best fall snack i could ask for. some that i have made in the past have been..

- sugar & cinnamon
- cumin & salt
- sea salt
- chili powder
- curry

add them to salads or snack on them whole!! so yummy!!!

my dads famous chili

this. is. comfort food. my dad used to make a huge pot of chili on really cold days and we would spoon it atop of sticky white rice. this is one of my favorite childhood meals.. put it on top of a baked potato, rice, corn chips for dipping.. you name it, you do it!! ENJOY!!

just a couple easy ingredients. you will need:

- 1 onion diced
- 2 cans of kidney beans
- 2.5lbs of ground beef (of course you can substitute ground turkey, chicken, buffalo or even soy protein)
- 1/2 of a bottle of heinz 50.5oz ketchup
- 2 cups of water
- chili powder
- hot sauce & red pepper flakes (to taste)
- olive oil

start by browning the onions in olive oil, then add the meat and make sure it is broken apart in tiny little pieces. once all the meat is browned and combined with the onions start seasoning the meat with the chili powder and make sure it is a hefty amount, keep stirring.- again it is all to taste. then add the ketchup and 2 cups of water and keep stirring.. it will get thicker.. keep it up at a slight simmer and after 45minutes add the kidney beans!! once it is at the consistency you like, its time to serve- over rice, a baked potato- whatever you would like!!
(i have to admit, the second day is always the best!!!)

sharon's sorbet

i cannot say enough great things about this dutch cocoa sorbet!! VEGAN, DAIRY FREE, GLUTEN FREE??!? it is just amazing & really wonderful in smoothies as well as with sprinkles in a cone! check them out online to find out where you can find it at a market near you- sharon's sorbet !!

antioxidant salad

a fresh start to the new year always calls for a delicious & healthy salad!
i love making this salad & brought it to christmas this year and it was a huge hit..

to make this simple and healthy salad, you will need:

- 2 cara cara oranges cut into chunks
- 1 avocado, sliced
- rubies from 1 pomegranate 
- half of 1 head of broccoli 
- hearty handful of sliced almonds 
- 1 shallot minced
- olive oil & balsamic vinegar
- s&p 

or you can always make a simple dressing:
-1tsp dijon mustard
- olive oil
- balsamic vinegar
- s&p
- 1 clove of a shallot minced