Dijon Chicken

This is one of the easiest chicken recipes I have come across and it packs tremendous flavor. I served it with buttered GF noodles and roasted asparagus. None of the leftovers went to waste from this dish! The recipe is from the site Witty In The City. I used whole grain dijon instead of creamy and think it would have been better if I had just added 2 tablespoons of whole grain to the recipe. This is one meal that is going to be served frequently at my house! Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Dijon Chicken
* 1.5 pounds chicken breasts or thighs, boneless & skinless
* 1/2 c dijon mustard
* 2 tablespoons of whole grain dijon (optional)
* 1/4 c maple syrup
* 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
* 2 tablespoons freshly chopped rosemary

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Combine the mustard, syrup and vinegar in a small bowl, whisk until well blended. Place the chicken in a lightly greased baking dish. Pour the mustard mixture over the chicken. Make sure the mustard has coated all of the chicken. Bake at 450 degrees until golden brown and a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees, approximately 30 minutes for breast and 40 minutes for thighs. Plate the chicken pouring the reserved sauce from the baking dish over each serving. Top with fresh rosemary and enjoy!

Strawberry Shortcake

Those of you who live in Portland know that Winter has overstayed its welcome this year. I must say it is quite disheartening to wake up just days after the first day of Spring to 4 inches of snow. Earlier this month we were teased with a couple blue sky and sun days with temperatures in the 60's. I got a bit overly excited and planted some strawberry starters. I am relieved to report the strawberries survived last night's snow storm and are a hopeful sign that Winter truly is over.

So in honor of Spring here is a perfect recipe, strawberry shortcake. It is one of my favorite springtime desserts! If you can refrain yourself to wait for the Oregon strawberries I recommend that. I couldn't refrain and fell for the allure of the California strawberries that are now available and was disappointed.

Happy Spring everyone! It really is on its way.... I hope, I hope.

Shortcake (Adapted from Elana Amsterdam)
* 2 1/2 c almond flour or meal (Trader Joe's has very affordable almond meal)
* 1/2 tsp sea salt
* 1/2 tsp baking soda, vanilla infused salt would be great
* 1/4 c grapeseed oil
* 1/4 c agave nectar
* 2 large eggs or egg replacer equivalent (I used flax meal)
* 1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
* 1/2 to 1 c dark chocolate chips, OPTIONAL

Preheat oven to 350. In a medium to large mixing bowl combine dry ingredients. In a separate smaller bowl whisk together the wet ingredients until well combined. Add to dry ingredients and stir until all the ingredients have mixed together. Drop on a greased or parchment-lined cookie sheet in generous 1/4 cups several inches apart. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown.

If using an egg replacer the biscuits may be quite moist even with the tops golden brown. Allow the biscuits to cool 5-10 minutes in order to let them set.

Coconut Whipped Cream
1 can whole fat coconut milk
1 Tbs agave syrup, if desired
1/2 tsp vanilla

Place coconut milk in the refrigerator for several hours to allow the fat to separate from the water. Once chilled, remove the top white, butter like portion of the coconut milk leaving the milky white coconut water (the water can be saved and used later in smoothies, it will keep for three days). Put the coconut milk fat in a bowl large enough for a hand-held mixer. Add agave if using and vanilla. Beat coconut milk on high until it resembles whipping cream in texture.


Top with chopped, fresh strawberries and coconut whipped cream. If using California berries a small amount of sweetener such as agave may be required.

Enjoy!

No Guilt Brownies

To all the chocolate lovers out there this one is for you! I am one of chocolate's biggest fans. I believe I could consume my body weight in chocolate if given the opportunity. So obviously brownies are one of my desserts of choice. Brownies are a great chocolate comfort food and always a crowd pleaser. However, ever since I went gluten and dairy free I haven't been able to find a mix or recipe that tested good and didn't leave my gut in knots. Until I came upon this recipe! I found it on multiple on-line sites and as always had to add my own little creative spin. These brownies are grain-free, dairy-free and pack a huge protein punch making them almost a health food! Don't be deterred when you read the ingredient list. I have had multiple friends try these and no one ever once guessed the ingredients. I hope you enjoy them as much as I am!

No Guilt Brownies
*1 10 oz bag of allergen-free semi-sweet chocolate chips
*1 15 oz can garbanzo beans, drained & rinsed
*4 eggs
* 1/2 c pure maple syrup
*1/2 tsp baking powder
*Raspberry preserves

Melt the chocolate over medium-low to medium heat in a double boiler. While the chocolate is melting, blend the eggs and beans until smooth. Once chocolate is melted add it to the egg and bean mixture. Add the baking powder and process until thoroughly combined, scraping down the sides as needed. Pour the batter in 1/4 to 1/3 c measurements into a greased or lined muffin tin depending on size of the tin. Nestle 1/2 tsp of raspberry preserves into the center of each brownie. Bake at 350 approximately 25 to 30 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out clean. The brownies are great at room temperature, but are extra decadent eaten when they are still warm after coming out of the oven.

Creative Use of Leftovers

Lately I have taken to creating pasta dishes using up odds and ends from the fridge and pantry. I have liked the results! Tonight the pasta dish was inspired by green leftovers: spinach, asparagus, basil and green onions. The result was a creamy and delicious dish! I hope this recipe inspires you to make up your own dishes utilizing leftovers, the culinary way of 'recycling'.

Creamy and Green Pasta

* 1/4 c chopped onion
* 3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
* 1/2 c full fat coconut milk
* 1 Tbs miso paste
* Asparagus spears (I used 4, cut into 1 inch pieces)
* Fresh spinach (1/2 c chopped, fresh spinach)
* Fresh basil (1/2 c, chopped)
* Green onion, sliced (I used two)
* 1/2 can white kidney beans
* 4 oz dry brown rice pasta, cooked and set aside
* Zest of lemon, 1/4 to 1/2
* 1 oz grated cheese of choice (I used a firm sheep's milk cheese)

Saute onion in a small amount of oil until translucent. Add garlic and cook until aromatic. Add coconut milk. Once coconut milk begins to gently bubble add the miso paste and stir until well incorporated. Allow the sauce to come to a simmer, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. Add asparagus and cook until bright green. Add the basil, spinach and beans. Continue to cook until spinach is wilted. Stir in the pasta. Top with green onion, lemon zest, grated cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately and enjoy!

A French Inspired Breakfast

I was delighted to find a goat's milk brie this morning. Before I found out I was intolerant of lactose and casein, both found in cow's milk, brie was one of my favorite in the cheese family. I find it to be a luxury, creamy and delicious. And man did I miss it. You can imagine my excitement when I found the cow free version at Trader Joe's. The brie went perfectly on gluten-free caraway, onion and poppy seed toast. The bread was from a local gluten-free dedicated bakery, New Cascadia Traditional and deserves a write-up of its own. Pair with a hot drink and this breakfast or snack will boast with European flavor and make one forget that food allergens exist even if for just a brief moment. an

A Gluten-free Bun That Holds Up To The Test

Hamburgers have never been the same since I went gluten-free. It seems that the buns I have tried in the past always fell apart making dinner a frustrating experience or the texture and flavor were just way too off. Those days are over! I recently found a bun that not only has good flavor and texture, but it doesn't fall apart as you eat it. The buns are made by Jensens Bread, a gluten-free bakery located in Portland, OR. The buns are available in multiple grocers in the Portland metro area and in many restaurants such as Dick's Kitchen and Besaws to name a few. If you are out of the Portland metro area the company is in the process of providing on-line sales. Jensens also has gluten-free hot dog buns, which I have not tried but am looking forward to. Summer is looking a whole lot brighter!!!

Allergen information: the buns contain whey so if you have dairy sensitivity this may be a problem for you and eggs