BRAISED CHICKEN w/ GREEN SAUCE

Braised Chicken w/ Green Sauce
Ingredients:
4 chicken drumsticks
4 chicken thighs, boneless/skinless
1 Tb. ground coriander
Salt & pepper to taste
2 Tb. coconut oil
1 c. cliantro + 2 Tb. chopped for garnish
1/2 c. mint leaves
1 small onion, quartered
2 poblano peppers, stemmed & seeded
2 jalapeno peppers, stemmed & seeded
1/2 c. coconut milk
1/2 c. water
4 c. cooked rice
1/2 c. toasted pine nuts

Directions:  Make a few deep slashes to the bone in each drumstick.  Combine coriander, salt and pepper and rub into all chicken pieces.  In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat oil.  Add chicken and cook over high heat, turning occasionally, until brown on all sides, about 8 minutes.  In a large food processor, combine cilantro, mint, onion and peppers.  Blend until finely chopped.  Add coconut milk and water.  Puree until smooth.  Pour green sauce over chicken and bring to a boil.  Cover partially with lid and simmer over low-med heat until chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes.  Sprinkle with reserved cilantro and pine nuts and serve over rice.

THANKSGIVING RICE "STUFFING"

Thanksgiving is a really hard holiday to enjoy thoroughly when you have gluten sensitivity.  Since stuffing (or dressing) is a big part of the meal I have experiemented with different recipes over the years to use as a substitute.  My latest creation is this brown rice stuffing.  As an afterthought, I think it would taste even better if you add cooked and crumbled sausage.  Hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving celebration!

THANKSGIVING RICE "STUFFING"

Ingredients:

2 c. uncooked brown rice                                  2 1/2 c. chopped baby bella mushrooms

4 c. water                                                       2 green onions, thinly sliced

1 can (15 1/4 oz.) whole corn kernels                10 strips of bacon, chopped

1 pkg. (2.25 oz.) pine nuts                               5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 packet Sazon Goya con Azafran seasoning       salt & pepper to taste

1 white onion, chopped

Directions:  To a large pot or rice cooker, add rice, Sazon Goya seasoning, can of corn, including the liquid, pine nuts and water.  Cook for 50-60 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed.  To a large frying pan over medium heat, add bacon.  Cook until almost done.  Soak up half the grease with some paper towels.  Add onion and garlic to the pan.  Cook until the onion turns translucent, about 4 minutes.  Next, add the mushrooms and cook for 5-6 minutes more, stirring accasionally.  Slowly add the rice mixture to the pan.  Mix to combine and cook about 3 minutes.  Stir in the green onions and serve.

SUSHI TIME!

I love making homemade sushi!  You can make so many flavor combinations.  Here I combined brown rice sprinkled with seasoned rice vinegar, cucumber, avocado, shrimp, cilantro and carrots.  The sauce is a low-sodium, wheat-free tamari with some chili sesame oil.  Beware of pre-made sushi from the grocery store, they usually use imitation shrimp and crab, which contains wheat flour.

THE FLAVORS OF FALL

FALL FRUIT SALAD

INGREDIENTS:
4 Braeburn apples, core removed and chopped
3 Bosc pears, core removed and chopped
2 Navel oranges, peel trimmed off and chopped
Zest of half an orange
Juice from the orange trimmings
1 c. black walnuts, chopped
1 c. dried cranberries

DIRECTIONS:

Combine all ingredients and toss gently.  Refrigerate for an hour.  Serve immediately - pears tend to soften from the orange juice after 24 hours or more.

SLOW-COOKER ROOT BEER PORK RIBLETS

Ingredients:

2 lbs. pork riblets, soak in salt water for 15 min. and then pat dry
3 Tb. olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 c. brown rice flour or other GF flour
1 yellow onion, halved and sliced
2 sprigs of rosemary
4 large garlic cloves, smashed
2 Tb. butter or butter substitute
1/2 c. water
2/3 can of your favorite root beer

Directions:  Heat oil in a large frying pan over high heat.  Sprinkle both sides of the pork riblets with salt and pepper, rub in.  Dredge in flour, shake off excess and place in pan, cooking 2 minutes per side.  Add onion to the slow cooker.  Place meat on top of onions and add the juice and bits from the pan by deglazing with the water.  Add the rosemary and smashed garlic.  Season with more salt and pepper.  Finally, add the butter and root beer.  Set cooker to HIGH and cook for 6 hours.  (Serving suggestion:  plate up with roasted garlic-rosemary potatoes and grilled asparagus)

TASTE-TESTS & FOCACCIA RECIPE

To my delight, I discovered gluten-free chicken nuggets at my local Smith's grocery store!  They are by Applegate Farms and are really delicious.  Not only are they gluten free but they are casein free, humanely raised, and have no nitrites or nitrates added.  While at Whole Foods I picked up a couple different gluten-free products.  First was go raw's Super Cookies in the chocolate and ginger snap flavors.  They each had only 4 ingredients and no added sugar.  The sweetness comes from organic dates. They are bite-sized and perfect to take on trips, camping, or for an on-the-go snack.  The chocolate ones were a bit chewy but had good flavor and the ginger snaps were crisp, crunchy, and by far my favorite.  I'll have to try the other flavors they had as there were a few others.  Lastly, I picked up a box of Chebe's Gluten Free Focccia Mix.  It was easy to prepare and can be altered by substituting in your favorite ingredients.  It had a light crisp crust and soft  center.  Perfect for dipping into a marinara sauce.  Here is the recipe I created to suit my taste:

DAIRY-FREE FOCACCIA with SUN-DRIED TOMATOES

INGREDIENTS:

1 box of Chebe's Gluten Free Focaccia Mix

2 Tb. olive oil, plus 1 tsp. for later

2 large eggs

1/4 c. sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, chopped

1/4 c. water

1 large garlic clove, thinly sliced

1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning

DIRECTIONS:  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  To a large mixing bowl add focaccia mix, 2 Tb. olive oil, eggs and sun-dried tomatoes. Combine with a spatula or your hands.  Add the water and knead with hands until well combined and smooth.  Place dough in the center of an ungreased 9" glass pie dish and press outward until it covers the bottom evenly.  Make indentations with your fingertips all over the dough. Press the garlic slices into some of the indents.  Brush with the reserved 1 tsp. olive oil and sprinkle the Italian seasoning all over.  Bake for 35-40 minutes.  Remove from the dish and serve with marinara dipping sauce.  ** Optional:  add 1/2 c. shredded cheese to the dough when mixing if you prefer.

PINEAPPLE FRIED RICE

INGREDIENTS:
1 c. Jasmine rice                                3 Tb. oil
2 c. pineapple, diced                          4 garlic cloves, minced
4 green onions, thinly sliced               2 Tb. Thai Kitchen fish sauce
1 large red chili, finely sliced               1 1/2 Tb. San-J wheat-free tamari
1/2 c. chopped cilantro                      1 tsp. sugar or sugar substitute
2 c. raw shrimp, cleaned & shelled       salt to taste

DIRECTIONS:  Prepare rice according to package.  Set aside.  In a medium bowl combine the pineapple, green onions, chili and cilantro, toss and set aside.  Heat 1 Tb. of oil over medium heat in a skillet or wok.  Add shrimp and saute' until just done.  Remove to a small bowl and set aside.  To the same skillet add the remaining oil.  Saute' garlic until it just turns golden brown.  Add cooked rice and stir well to combine.  Add fish sauce, tamari and sugar.  Stir and heat through.  Add the pineapple mixture and shrimp.  Toss together and heat through.  Season with salt to taste.  Serves 6-8.

BUST OUT THE GRILL

I love salmon, and it's so good for you too!  Here is a recipe for a sophisticated salmon kebab sure to be a hit at any barbecue.

SALMON KEBABS

Serves 2

Ingredients:

4 skewers, wooden or bamboo                         1 c. cooked jasmine rice

1/2 lb. skinless salmon fillet, cut into 1 1/2"      2 Tb. olive oil

4 green onions, white and light green parts       1/2 tsp. salt

    cut into 1 1/2" pieces                                 1/2 tsp. pepper

4 asparagus spears, cut into 1 1/2" pieces         4 Tb. basalmic vinaigrette, recipe below

Directions:  Presoak the skewers in water for 15-20 minutes.  Heat grill to med-high heat or 350 degrees.  Place salmon, green onions and asparagus in a bowl and toss with the olive oil, salt and pepper.  Thread the three ingredients alternating the greens and fish as shown in the picture.  Place skewers on the grill and cook 3 minutes on each side.  Meanwhile, prepare plate by placing the cooked rice in the middle.  Lay kebabs on top of rice and then drizzle with the basalmic vinaigrette - recipe - whisk together 2 Tb. each olive oil and basalmic vinegar and 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning.



TWO TASTY RECIPES

Here are two recipes that incorporate those veggies you might not like to eat so much: cauliflower and broccoli.  I found them in the Family Circle magazine's May 2012 edition and modified them slightly to suit my taste.  Enjoy!

Chicken Apple Sausage with Broccoli Rabe & Quinoa

Ingredients:
1 lb. broccoli rabe, stems trimmed, cut into 2" pieces
3 Tb. olive oil
1 1/4 c. uncooked quinoa
1/2 c. raisins (currants or dried cherries can be substituted)
1 package (12 oz.) chicken-apple sausages (I used Fresh 'n Easy brand)
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c. sliced almonds, toasted
1 tsp. salt  &  1/2 tsp. pepper

Directions:  Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.  Add broccoli rabe and cook until tender, about 3 minutes.  Drain and set aside. In a medium-sized pot, bring 2 1/2 c. water and 1 Tb. olive oil to a boil.  Add quinoa and raisins, turn down heat to simmer and cover.  Cook 20 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed.  In a large skillet, heat 1 Tb. olive oil over medium heat.  Add sausages and cook 6 minutes, turning half way through cooking time.  Remove and place on cutting board to rest.  To the same skillet, add the remaining olive oil and add onions, saute for 5 minutes.  Add garlic and broccoli rabe and saute another 3 minutes.  Meanwhile, slice the sausages on the bias and add to the pan along with the quinoa mixture, almonds, salt and pepper.  Stir to combine and cook another 2 minutes until heated through.

Shrimp & Cauliflower in a Coconut Curry Sauce

Ingredients:

1 c. uncooked jasmine rice

2 Tb. coconut oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

2" piece of gingerroot, grated

1 1/2 Tb. green curry paste

1 can (14.5 oz.) lite coconut milk

1/2 c. GF chicken broth (such as Imagine brand)

1/4 tsp. turmeric
1 large yam, peeled and cut into 1" cubes

2 c. cauliflower florets

1 onion, diced

3/4 lb. raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 c. fresh basil leaves, chopped

Juice of 1 lime

1 tsp. salt

Directions:  Bring 3 c. water to a boil in a medium pot.  Stir in rice, reduce heat to simmer and cover.  Cook 20 minutes.  Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add garlic and ginger, cook 1 minute.  Add curry paste and cook an additional 30 seconds.  Stir in the coconut milk, chicken broth and turmeric, bring to a boil.  Mix in the yam and reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook 5 minutes.  Add cauliflower and onion, cover and simmer 10 minutes.  Stir in shrimp, basil, lime juice and salt.  Cook uncovered for 3 minutes.  Serve over rice.

A BIRTHDAY MEAL

It was my Mom's birthday this week so I made her a special birthday lunch.  Asparagus,  a brown rice salad, a sausage and vegetable frittata and corn bread muffins!  The muffins are made from a Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Cornbread mix.  For the asparagus, I sauted the spears in a skillet with a little olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.  Here are the recipes for the rice salad and frittata.

Brown Rice with Sundried Tomatoes and Pine Nuts

Ingredients:
1 1/4 c. brown rice
1/2 c. sundried tomatoes in oil and Italian herbs
1 avocado, diced
1 stalk of celery, finely sliced
1/4 c. pine nuts, lightly toasted
3 Tb. basil leaves, thinly sliced
1 Tb. lemon juice
1 tsp. lemon zest

Directions:  Drain the tomatoes on a paper towel to remove some of the oil.  Chopped and set aside.  In a medium-sized pot, boil 2 1/2 c. water and add rice.  Return to a boil and then cover and simmer for about 45 minutes or until water is absorbed.  Scoop rice into a large bowl and set aside to cool slightly.  Add the sundried tomatoes, avocado, celery, pine nuts, basil, lemon juice and zest to the bowl and mix thoroughly.

Italian Sausage & Veggie Frittata

Ingredients:

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 zucchini, diced

8 oz. hot Italian sausage, casings removed

6 eggs, beaten

1 c. shredded mozzarella

Directions:  Saute the red pepper and zucchini in a pan over med-hi heat for 5 minutes.  Add sausage, breaking it apart, and cooking another 5 minutes.  Coat a deep pie dish with non-stick cooking spray and add the sausage mixture to it.  Pour the eggs evenly over the mixture and top with the mozzarella.  Bake at 350 degrees until set, about 35-40 minutes.

COOKING WITH CHICKEN

SLOW-COOKER AFRICAN PEANUT STEW

Ingredients:
2 Tb. olive oil
2 large skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 large onion, chopped
2 red bell peppers, sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes
2 sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2" pieces
3 c. sliced carrots
4 c. gluten free chicken broth, (I used Imagine brand)
1/2 tsp. curry powder
1/4 tsp. each, cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, black pepper and red pepper flakes
1 c. brown rice
1 c. natural crunchy peanut butter

Directions:  Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat and brown the chicken breasts on both sides, about 5 minutes per side.  Place the chicken in a slow cooker.  Cook the onion, bell peppers and garlic in the skillet until onions are just tender, about 5 minutes, transfer to the slow cooker.  Stir the crushed tomatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, chicken broth and spices into the slow cooker.  Set the cooker to HIGH and cook for 5-6 hours.  Mix in the brown rice 3 hours before finished and add the peanut butter an hour before serving.  Shred the chicken and serve.

CHICKEN & RICE CASSEROLE

Ingredients:

2 Tb. vegetable oil

8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs

1/2 tsp. white pepper

1 large onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tb. curry powder

1 Tb. gingerroot, chopped

3 c. gluten free chicken broth (Imagine brand)

1 can (15 oz.) garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

1 can (14.5 oz.) petite diced tomatoes

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 c. white rice such as jasmine or basmati

3/4 c. cilantro, chopped

Directions:  Heat oven to 400 degrees.  In a large pot, heat oil over med-hi heat.  Season chicken with 1/4 tsp. of the pepper.  Cook 5 minutes per side and remove to a plate.  Add onion to the pot and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the garlic, curry and ginger, cook 1 minute.  Stir in the broth, garbanzo beans, tomatoes, red pepper, salt and remaining pepper.  Bring to a simmer.  Carefully pour the mixure into a large baking dish.  Sprinkle in the rice and arrange chicken in the dish.  Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed the liquid.  Sprinkle with the cilantro just before serving.