Recipes

Montreal Grilled Chicken - Garlic Green Beans - 

Veggie Salad - Rosemary Quinoa 

Dinner idea for the busy person who is trying to transition to a healthier menu.

This dinner was easy to make and delicious!

I use my grill all year long...even in the snow! For these chicken breasts, I put them in a large gallon zip lock bag.  I sprinkled the McCormick Grill Mates Montreal Chicken Seasoning all over them and let them sit for about an hour.  (see below for information on the seasoning I used for gluten free information, etc.) These were thick, so I pounded them a bit with the Pampered Chef meat tenderizer.  I grilled them on medium heat until the juices were clear and it was cooked through.

I am learning about ingredients I haven't used before.  So, my step to cleaner eating...ideally, we are talking non-processed foods.  This is a boxed item with a seasoning packet, so is probably considered processed...however, this is my next best step to cleaner eating.  I used the New East Quinoa blend.  The flavor packet contains soy and wheat.  You can add other fresh food items to it as I did and omit the packet if you are worried about those items. I followed the instructions on the box.   I added chopped cauliflower, onions, and red bell pepper while it was cooking.  I added some black beans towards the end.

I steamed the green beans with garlic put through my garlic press.

The salad had greens, romaine lettuce, grape tomatoes (sliced in half), chopped green onions, chopped red bell pepper, cauliflower, slivered carrots, and sliced mini cucumbers. I topped it with a bit of avocado and just a little sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.  I didn't add dressing this time.  I just added salt and pepper, and a squeeze of lemon.

**** As I am learning more about cleaner eating... I am taking one step at a time.  The McCormick seasoning does not say gluten free, but it's ingredients seem good with seasonings but also includes sulfiting agents. These are safe for most people, but can be dangerous to those who may have sensitivity to sulfites.  I found some information on what McCormick says about their product being gluten free... check it out here. 

Grain Free - Black Bean Brownies w/peppermint! Yummylicious!

I made these "melt in your mouth" brownies and love them! I have seen several recipes for them, but like this one! They had the texture of cake - I have had a lot of people ask to share the recipe.  I hope this is 

Recipe from Dr. Keesha Ewers 

This picture is of the batch I made!!!! They turned out delicious!

1 - 15oz can of black beans (drained and rinsed)

2 large eggs

1/4 c. cocoa powder (or cacoa powder)

2/3 c. honey

1/3 c. coconut oil

1/2 tsp. baking powder

pinch of salt

4 drops of Peppermint Essential Oil

3/4 c. chocolate chips (divided) or cacoa chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Place all ingredients, except for chocolate chips in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. (I just used my blender)

3. Pour batter into large bowl and stir in 1/2 cup chocolate chips.

4. Pour into greased 8x8 inch pan and top with 1/4 cup of chocolate chips.

5. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Give them a try and let me know how you like them! 

First Snow Day Taco Soup!

Every first snow day of the year, I make this taco soup.  It can be modified in a few ways.  I always use my food storage for this.  It is super tasty, easy to make and inexpensive...and healthy!  Hope you and your family enjoy it as much as we do!

Ingredients:

1 pound lean burger (this year I used elk burger, turkey is tasty too!)

1 large onion (diced)

a couple (to taste) garlic cloves (put through a press into meat while browning)

2 - 15 oz. cans of diced tomatoes

1 - 15oz. can of kidney beans

1 - 15oz. can of garbanzo beans

1 cup frozen corn
1 small can of diced chilis

salt

pepper

cumin

Brown burger with onions and garlic, salt and pepper.  

Once browned, add the rest of the ingredients.

Simmer and serve!

If you don't have food restrictions with the following, you can add them as well!

Shredded Cheese

more diced onions

Sour Cream

You can also make this a vegetarian meal by not adding the meat and add more beans!

Tell me what you think!

Grain Free Sandwich Bread Recipe (Paleo & SCD)

This recipe is from Danielle Walker's Against All Grain -  She has great recipes! I experimented with this one today and absolutely love it! It calls for cashew butter, but I used almond butter, because that is what I had.  It also calls for almond milk, however, again...I used coconut milk because that is what I had. :0) I am excited to try new things that are both healthy for you, simple as well as delicious!!! Try it for yourself and let me know what you think! I would love to hear your opinion on this!

SERVES: makes 1 8.5×4.5 loaf

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup smooth raw cashew butter at room temperature
• 4 large eggs, separated (mine weighed about 9 ounces in their shells)
• ½ to 2 tablespoons honey (use 2tbl if you plan to use if for sweeter dishes like french toast)
• 2.5 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• ¼ cup almond milk
• ¼ cup coconut flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees. For a white colored loaf as in the photo, place a small dish of water on the bottom rack.
2. Line the bottom of an 8.5×4.5 glass loaf pan with parchment paper, then spread a very thin coating of coconut oil on the sides of the pan.
3. Beat the cashew butter with the egg yolks, then add the honey, vinegar, and milk. I’ve done this with both electric hand beaters and a stand mixer and both seem to work equally as well. I would not try to make this by hand due to the stickiness of the butter.
4. Beat the egg whites in a separate bowl until peaks form. I used an electric hand mixer, but if you want a bicep workout, you can also do it by hand.
5. Combine the dry ingredients in another small bowl. Sorry for all of the dishes!
6. Make sure your oven is completely preheated before adding the egg whites and the dry ingredients to the cashew butter mixture. You don’t want your whites to fall, and the baking soda will activate once it hits the eggs and vinegar.
7. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, and beat until combined. This will result in more of a wet batter than a dough. Make sure to get all of the sticky butter mixture off of the bottom of the bowl so you don’t end up with clumps.
8. Pour the beaten egg whites into the cashew butter mixture, beating again until just combined. You don’t have to be gentle with this, but don’t over mix.
9. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, then immediately put it into the oven.
10. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Don’t be tempted to open the oven door anytime before 40 minutes, as this will allow the steam to escape and you will not get a properly risen loaf.
11. Remove from the oven, then let cool for 15-20 minutes. Use a knife to free the sides from the loaf pan, then flip it upside down and release the loaf onto a cooling rack. Cool right-side up for an hour before serving.
12. Wrap the loaf up tightly and store in the fridge for 1 week. I actually think the loaf gets better as the days go on.

A couple of notes

So far, the only way I’ve used this bread cold and not toasted is with an AB&J, and it was delicious! It is definitely on the more dense side compared to your breads with gluten and yeast, but it’s much lighter than a lot of the gluten-free breads sold in the store that are made with rice or tapioca. The bread gets even lighter and somewhat flaky when toasted or grilled in the panini press, so that is the way I’ve preferred it.

As for the cashew butter – I love Artisana’s product. I could eat it by the spoonful. It’s pricy, but no more expensive than almond butter (and I just found out has the same fat and calorie content!).  You can make your own if you own a high-speed blender, but it takes some work. You may need to add a little coconut oil to get the extra smooth consistency that Artisana offers (I’ve used 1/4 cup oil with 1.5 cups raw cashews). If you have a lumpy cashew butter, this bread will not work. The loaf made with homemade cashew butter will also come out a little darker and a bit more moist due to the oil.

The loaf doesn’t stand very tall, so for larger slices of bread like the french toast below, slice it in half, then lengthwise.

And lastly, for all of you coconut-phobes out there- Not to fear – this bread tastes absolutely nothing like it despite the use of coconut flour!

 http://againstallgrain.com/2012/05/21/grain-free-white-bread-paleo-and-scd/

Grain-Free Sweet Potato Muffins

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 25 min

Total Time: 35 min

Moist and nutritious muffins made from coconut flour and sweet potato puree.  They are gluten-free, paleo and uses no refined sugar.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 c. coconut flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1/4 tsp. salt

4 eggs

1 c. sweet potato puree

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 c. coconut oil, melted

1/4 maple syrup

1/2 c. pecan or walnut pieces

12 pecan or walnut halves for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. and Grease or line a muffin pan.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together coconut flour, baking powder, soda, and spices. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, sweet potato puree, vanilla extract, coconut oil, and maple syrup until smooth.

3. Add the flour mix to the wet mixture and stir until all lumps are gone.  Fold in pecan or walnut pieces.

4. Divide batter into 12 muffin cavities and top each with a nut half.  Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

5. I use a little spatula to help loosen the muffins out of the pan.

This recipe was by LeelaLicious at:

http://leelalicious.com/breadless-breakfast-grain-free-sweet-potato-muffins/

Vegetarian Quiche - SUPER DELICIOUS!!!

Can be made with variations...(and easy!)

I am an experimental chef...a chef "wanna-be" but I do have fun creating new ideas in the kitchen when I am trying to eat healthy.  Although some of my recipes - or creative food ideas written out in my blog - aren't always as healthy as I think they could be, they are always delicious! (I won't ever publish the fails LOL)

Tonight, I wanted a meatless version of a quiche, so this is what I came up with.  Below, I will put some variation ideas to change it up a bit depending on your mood!

You will need:
1 refrigerator pie crust (unless you want to make your own)
about 8 eggs and about a 1/2c. of milk - whipped with a whisk - salt and pepper
I used fresh spinach, sliced up a little bit
a small head of broccoli, chopped
1/2 a yellow onion, chopped
1/2 a small pkg. of sliced mushrooms
2 cloves of garlic put through a press
a couple hand fulls of shredded cheese
Quiche pan - Mine was a 10" glass pan

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.
chop all of your veggies
I put about a Tblsp. of olive oil in my iron skillet and sautéed the onion, mushroom, garlic and broccoli until there is very little to no moisture left in the veggies.  This will prevent your quiche from being soggy.
While your veggies are cooking,
Lay your pie crust in your ungreased pan
I lined the pie crust with the spinach
Add the veggies from the pan
Sprinkle cheese over the top of the veggies
Pour the egg mixture next.
Sprinkle with a bit more shredded cheese.

Bake for about 45 minutes, then turn the oven off and leave in there for just a few.  The top should be golden brown.

You can top it with a dobble of sour cream and sprinkle with green onions and cheese.

Variations could include:
Adding Ham, bacon, or sausage
other veggies could be bell peppers (red, green, yellow or orange)


Would love to hear your ideas on how you prepare a quiche! I would also enjoy hearing from you if you try this recipe idea for yourself!

ENJOY!!!

Not ALL my recipes will necessarily be "healthy"

HOWEVER - The reason I post all the recipes is because "moderation in all things" can work for some! Here is the key to enjoying a little treat once in a while.  I make a batch of yummies and eat a couple, then share the rest! That way I am not tempted to eat them all...because I know myself well enough to know that is exactly what I would do! Now - for the recipes I have been requested to post.  Remember...I am a funny little cook.  As I do follow some recipes, I have a problem with modifying them to fit my mood...and will be writing them here the same way my brain thinks and performs - I hope this will work for you too! If not, feel free to message me and I will answer any questions you have.  Happy cooking!!!

German Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cake Mix Cookies with nuts

1 box of cake mix - I used double chocolate

2 eggs

3/4 c shortening

1/2 tsp vanilla

(k - THAT is what the recipe called for..then I added the following)

I sprinkled oh, maybe a 1/4 c or so of semi-sweet chocolate chips and maybe a 1/2 c of chopped walnuts.  Mix all together.

Then roll little one inch balls and put on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 10-12 minutes on 350 degrees in the oven.

It is time to try some new recipes.....

Morning Oatmeal
Organic Oats

(cook 1 cup oats to 1 cup water) this makes it so it isn't slimy....
when the oats are done, put into a bowl..
sprinkle with a little bit of brown sugar, slivered coconut, and dried apricots that have been soaked.  This is DELICIOUS!!!
NOTE: This dish contains Gerson suggested foods on the desired list, other than the coconut...coconut is considered on the prohibited food. So, although this may still be a healthy breakfast dish... if on the cleanse portion of the Gerson idea, the coconut should be omitted from this breakfast choice.

In what we are learning with the Gerson idea, we are incorporating mostly approved vegetables and fruits to help alkalize the body and create an environment for which the cancer cannot survive.

Lunch and Dinner is very much the same - We made up a salad for dinner on MY first official night learning how to cook more Gerson idea friendly.  I thought it turned out pretty delicious!

 It includes:
Red Leaf Lettuce, sliced grapes, grated carrots, chopped green onions, chopped red bell pepper.
The dressing contained flaxseed oil, honey wine vinegar, lime juice, and a teeny bit of brown sugar....

This salad contains all foods approved on the desired list for the Gerson idea.  Sheila and I added hemp heart seeds to our salad which provides 10 grams of protein in 3 Tblsp. for those who do not require the special diet for cleansing. 

For dessert, we prepared thinly sliced apples in a baking dish lightly coated with flaxseed oil.  A small amount of brown sugar and maple syrup was applied to the top and baked slowly in a little toaster oven until the apples were tender.... Everything in this dish is approved in the Gerson idea.







I am forever trying to think of something easy, healthy and inexpensive to fix for meals.  It drives me CRAZY or at least craziER than I already am! I am experimenting all the time, dabbling with friends and relatives recipes...and occasionally take on a challenge of altering yummy recipes to be healthier and still tasty. 

I am still learning this whole blog thing, so bare with me as I experiment with my pages - and thanks for following my craziness!!!

Friday, November 12, 2010

Lazy-Girl Mexican Meatballess soup!

From Stephanie Barton’s Kitchen to yours -

1 lb ground beef 1 Lg Onion, diced
Salt, pepper, garlic powder
Brown ground beef in your large pan or stew pot with seasonings and onion.
Add:
8 cups of water with 3 Tbsp. of beef bouillion powder (I used some from Alison’s Pantry) and
3/4cup of uncooked rice
Bring pot to a boil on high, then turn down to med/high heat to simmer.
Peel and dice:
      6 lg carrots 2 sm – med potatoes - add to the pot
Core and dice:
      1 anaheim pepper - add to the pot
Add: 1 -15 oz can of diced tomatoes w/garlic and onions
Sprinkle in a little cumin and parsley and a dash of cayenne pepper.

You may want to add a little more water if it becomes too thick – use your judgement.
Let pot simmer for about 20 minutes until carrots and potatoes are tender.
I topped mine with cheese and served with tortilla chips!



Enjoy :0)

Posted by Stephanie at 11:09 AM 0 comments