Cashew Cheesecake!!
Ok for all 10 of you out there in the world who are also allergic to every food in existence which makes cheesecake possible... this is a red-letter day for you. This is REALLY good!!
Crust Ingredients:
1 c. shredded coconut
1 cup macadamia nuts (I assume about any nuts would work)
2 cups pitted dates
Process all until it resembles crumbs. Press into the bottom of a springform or glass pan.
Filling Ingredients:
3 cups cashews
3/4 c. coconut oil
3/4 c. agave nectar (other sweetner??)
3/4 c. fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1/2 c. water
1/4 t. vanilla
Blend all ingredients (not a processor) until smooth and thick, adding small amounts of water if needed. Pour filling over crust and freeze for 2 hours then store uncovered in the frig for 2 hours. Place left-overs in the freezer.
Friday, April 20, 2012
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Chicken, Rice & Squash
I've lost count of how many ways I've made chicken and rice, but here's another one...
Baked Chicken #???
Roll the chicken pieces in gf flour and season generously with:
- salt & pepper
- onion & garlic powder
- smoked paprika
- turmeric
- tarragon
- sweet basil
Drizzle a little olive oil over and bake about 20 min. Flip the pieces over and season again. Bake till done. Serve with Jasmine Rice!
Yellow & Green Squash
1. Slice a large sweet onion, and a several yellow and zuchini squash. Keep in mind that they cook down ALOT.
2. Layer them alternately with salt, pepper and olive oil added to each level. Don't skimp on the salt! Simmer on low until the squash is soft and juicy.
Baked Chicken #???
Roll the chicken pieces in gf flour and season generously with:
- salt & pepper
- onion & garlic powder
- smoked paprika
- turmeric
- tarragon
- sweet basil
Drizzle a little olive oil over and bake about 20 min. Flip the pieces over and season again. Bake till done. Serve with Jasmine Rice!
Yellow & Green Squash
1. Slice a large sweet onion, and a several yellow and zuchini squash. Keep in mind that they cook down ALOT.
2. Layer them alternately with salt, pepper and olive oil added to each level. Don't skimp on the salt! Simmer on low until the squash is soft and juicy.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Herbs, Glorious Herbs... Spaghetti & Meatballs
This is one of those recipes that compels me to say, "GROW HERBS!"
Until you have used fresh or freshly dried herbs, you can not imagine the difference. The aroma is truly heavenly and wafts throughout the house. I mean it. The smell of herbs will be in heaven- I'm certain! If you're ever stressed- sit in the midst of an herb garden and breathe deeply. You can literally feel your stress drain away. Herbs I love the most: sweet basil, Thai basil, spicey basil (do you see a theme here?), tarrogon and thyme- most of which are in this recipe. The secret to this recipe is lots of potent herbs. Use them generously.
As a side note... if you decide to grow herbs, drying them is a breeze. Cut and tie them into big bunches at the end of the summer (label the bunches). Hang them upside down and let them dry out until the leaves start to fall, then transfer them to large brown paper bags (each bunch in a separate bag). Once they have completely dried, i.e. are very crunchy- pull the leaves off into the paper bag and throw the branches away. Once all the leaves are off, sink your hands down into the leaves and roll them together between your hands, crushing them as much as possible (you have to do this over and over until you've crushed them all). Put them in glass jars and enjoy immensely throughout the whole winter!! I usually crush them some more when I use them (grab some in my hand and crush/roll them into the food) since I'm never patient enough to get them thoroughly crushed the first time around.
Herbed Home-made Spaghetti and Meatballs
Meatballs: Saute a large, finely chopped onion and 4 cloves of minced garlic.
Mix them with: 2 lb of ground beef, a handful or two of GF breadcrumbs, 2 eggs, and a generous sprinkling of basil, tarragon, parsley, salt and pepper. Shape it into meatballs and brown them in the oven at 400 (keep an eye on them, it doesn't take more than 10-15 min.).
Sauce: Blend 1 large gallon-size bag of tomatoes (I freeze all of my tomatoes in ziplocs; if you don't, just use it as a measurement.) Mix it with a.... you got it- generous supply of herbs!... such as basil, parsley, thyme and tarragon, going heaviest on the tarragon. Salt & pepper, and sprinkle a little bit of sugar in. Simmer the sauce until it is think and yummy, tasting and tweaking as you go. Add the browned meatballs to the sauce and serve with GF pasta.
Until you have used fresh or freshly dried herbs, you can not imagine the difference. The aroma is truly heavenly and wafts throughout the house. I mean it. The smell of herbs will be in heaven- I'm certain! If you're ever stressed- sit in the midst of an herb garden and breathe deeply. You can literally feel your stress drain away. Herbs I love the most: sweet basil, Thai basil, spicey basil (do you see a theme here?), tarrogon and thyme- most of which are in this recipe. The secret to this recipe is lots of potent herbs. Use them generously.
As a side note... if you decide to grow herbs, drying them is a breeze. Cut and tie them into big bunches at the end of the summer (label the bunches). Hang them upside down and let them dry out until the leaves start to fall, then transfer them to large brown paper bags (each bunch in a separate bag). Once they have completely dried, i.e. are very crunchy- pull the leaves off into the paper bag and throw the branches away. Once all the leaves are off, sink your hands down into the leaves and roll them together between your hands, crushing them as much as possible (you have to do this over and over until you've crushed them all). Put them in glass jars and enjoy immensely throughout the whole winter!! I usually crush them some more when I use them (grab some in my hand and crush/roll them into the food) since I'm never patient enough to get them thoroughly crushed the first time around.
Herbed Home-made Spaghetti and Meatballs
Meatballs: Saute a large, finely chopped onion and 4 cloves of minced garlic.
Mix them with: 2 lb of ground beef, a handful or two of GF breadcrumbs, 2 eggs, and a generous sprinkling of basil, tarragon, parsley, salt and pepper. Shape it into meatballs and brown them in the oven at 400 (keep an eye on them, it doesn't take more than 10-15 min.).
Sauce: Blend 1 large gallon-size bag of tomatoes (I freeze all of my tomatoes in ziplocs; if you don't, just use it as a measurement.) Mix it with a.... you got it- generous supply of herbs!... such as basil, parsley, thyme and tarragon, going heaviest on the tarragon. Salt & pepper, and sprinkle a little bit of sugar in. Simmer the sauce until it is think and yummy, tasting and tweaking as you go. Add the browned meatballs to the sauce and serve with GF pasta.
Monday, February 13, 2012
The Wonderful Combination of Maple and Cranberries
This is an easy breakfast that I love:
Maple-Cranberry Cereal
Cook brown rice cereal according to package instructions (I grind my own brown rice, but you can buy it too). Mix in a spoonful of virgin coconut oil for a plethora of health benefits, then sprinkle with walnuts and cranberries. Drizzle with maple syrup- and a little rice milk if you like. This is yummy, and I don't even like hot cereal!
Maple-Cranberry Cereal
Cook brown rice cereal according to package instructions (I grind my own brown rice, but you can buy it too). Mix in a spoonful of virgin coconut oil for a plethora of health benefits, then sprinkle with walnuts and cranberries. Drizzle with maple syrup- and a little rice milk if you like. This is yummy, and I don't even like hot cereal!
Friday, February 3, 2012
Chicken at Nathanael's
Numerous allergic reactions and infections later, I think I'm beginning to make my way back. Wow- this may be a mild winter for most people but not me. It's been a tough one. Thankfully, things are looking up now and I actually created a new recipe recently- in collaboration with my son Nathanael. It may sound a little funky but it was really good. I'm making it again tonight!
Spicey Banana Chicken
Saute red onions and carrots in olive oil. Add diced chicken breast and continue cooking, seasoning with McCormick's Mediterranean Spiced Sea Salt (I love this stuff) and Chipotle powder. When the chicken is cooked thoroughly add a few handfuls of lettuce mix and wilt it into the chicken mixture. Serve over rice and top with diced banana. Enjoy!
Spicey Banana Chicken
Saute red onions and carrots in olive oil. Add diced chicken breast and continue cooking, seasoning with McCormick's Mediterranean Spiced Sea Salt (I love this stuff) and Chipotle powder. When the chicken is cooked thoroughly add a few handfuls of lettuce mix and wilt it into the chicken mixture. Serve over rice and top with diced banana. Enjoy!
Friday, August 5, 2011
Salsa Supper
If you can't eat wheat, corn, or dairy, it rules out nearly every southwestern-style dish. Initially, I had nothing comparable when everyone else was eating their tacos and burittos. I eventually came up with what I call "The Salsa Supper" and it's surprisingly satisfying given that so many things are missing.
The gist of it is: layer all kinds of things on rice (pretty much the gist of my entire cuisine). I learned to make salsa from my sister Twyla and below are a few really good combinations. Remember, great cooking is the art of sprinkling & tasting, sprinkling and tasting. Relax and be bold! A variety of salsas, gualcamole, seasoned chicken, black beans and rice tortilla chips, layered on top of Jasmine rice is really good- even without the coveted cheese!
Salsa Supper Chicken #1
Saute diced onion and garlic in olive oil. When transparent, add diced chicken breasts. Season with fresh ground salt and pepper, cilantro and basil (or whatever herbs you like), and cook till tender.
Salsa Supper Chicken #2 (courtesy of Twyla)
Cook chicken breasts in a crockpot, seasoned with cumin, ground oregano, salt & pepper. Shred.
Black Beans #1
Mash the black beans a little and fry in some olive oil. Season to taste.
Black Beans #2
(We also eat this as a meal itself with ground beef browned into the onions & garlic, served over rice, and with guacamole on top. It is one of our very favorite meals!)
Saute 1 large, diced, red onion and 3-4 cloves minced garlic in olive oil. Blend/grate about 6 plum tomatoes and mix into the onions, along with 2 cans drained & rinsed black beans (or 1 lb made from scratch). Season with generous amounts of balsamic vinegar, raw sugar (or regular), chili powder, salt & pepper. Everytime I make this I have to add more of everything after the first time or two. It really takes quite a bit of the seasoning to get that "this is great" flavor.
Guacamole
1-2 avacados mashed & sprinkled with lime juice (lemon works ok too). Mix in: finely chopped red onion, 2 cloves minced garlic. Season with: fresh ground salt & pepper, smoked paprika, and cilantro or spicey basil.
Red Salsa (from Twyla)
Mix together according to taste:
blended tomatoes
minced garlic,
diced & seeded chili pepper
salt, cumin, & ground oregano
cilantro
Opt.: sliced green onions
Salsa Verde (also from Twyla)
Mix together according to taste:
blended tomatillos
mashed avacado
salt, garlic & cilantro
Pico de Gallo
Mix together according to taste:
Several diced tomatoes (nicer-dicer works great for this- cut the tomatoes in half, cut-side up)
diced red onion & garlic
1/4-1/2 seeded and finely diced jalapeno
fresh cilantro
salt, pepper (& I like a tad of sugar)
Rice Tortilla Chips
Rice tortillas (health food store) brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with salt. Place on baking sheets and broil on both sides till lightly browned (they will burn SUDDENLY, so watch out!!). Break them into pieces.
Other things to layer on top:
fresh or sauted onions
sliced green onions
fresh cilantro
diced tomatoes
avacodo slices
The gist of it is: layer all kinds of things on rice (pretty much the gist of my entire cuisine). I learned to make salsa from my sister Twyla and below are a few really good combinations. Remember, great cooking is the art of sprinkling & tasting, sprinkling and tasting. Relax and be bold! A variety of salsas, gualcamole, seasoned chicken, black beans and rice tortilla chips, layered on top of Jasmine rice is really good- even without the coveted cheese!
Salsa Supper Chicken #1
Saute diced onion and garlic in olive oil. When transparent, add diced chicken breasts. Season with fresh ground salt and pepper, cilantro and basil (or whatever herbs you like), and cook till tender.
Salsa Supper Chicken #2 (courtesy of Twyla)
Cook chicken breasts in a crockpot, seasoned with cumin, ground oregano, salt & pepper. Shred.
Black Beans #1
Mash the black beans a little and fry in some olive oil. Season to taste.
Black Beans #2
(We also eat this as a meal itself with ground beef browned into the onions & garlic, served over rice, and with guacamole on top. It is one of our very favorite meals!)
Saute 1 large, diced, red onion and 3-4 cloves minced garlic in olive oil. Blend/grate about 6 plum tomatoes and mix into the onions, along with 2 cans drained & rinsed black beans (or 1 lb made from scratch). Season with generous amounts of balsamic vinegar, raw sugar (or regular), chili powder, salt & pepper. Everytime I make this I have to add more of everything after the first time or two. It really takes quite a bit of the seasoning to get that "this is great" flavor.
Guacamole
1-2 avacados mashed & sprinkled with lime juice (lemon works ok too). Mix in: finely chopped red onion, 2 cloves minced garlic. Season with: fresh ground salt & pepper, smoked paprika, and cilantro or spicey basil.
Red Salsa (from Twyla)
Mix together according to taste:
blended tomatoes
minced garlic,
diced & seeded chili pepper
salt, cumin, & ground oregano
cilantro
Opt.: sliced green onions
Salsa Verde (also from Twyla)
Mix together according to taste:
blended tomatillos
mashed avacado
salt, garlic & cilantro
Pico de Gallo
Mix together according to taste:
Several diced tomatoes (nicer-dicer works great for this- cut the tomatoes in half, cut-side up)
diced red onion & garlic
1/4-1/2 seeded and finely diced jalapeno
fresh cilantro
salt, pepper (& I like a tad of sugar)
Rice Tortilla Chips
Rice tortillas (health food store) brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with salt. Place on baking sheets and broil on both sides till lightly browned (they will burn SUDDENLY, so watch out!!). Break them into pieces.
Other things to layer on top:
fresh or sauted onions
sliced green onions
fresh cilantro
diced tomatoes
avacodo slices
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Red Pots
I've recently discovered the wonder of enamel-covered cast iron pans. Wow- these things are great! Somehow they meld the flavors together in an amazing way. I kept wanting to buy one but couldn't quite bring myself to spend so much on a pan. Then I found a great clearance deal for a small one. After using it a few times and loving it, as well as sitting through a demo of pans that cost an unthinkable amount of money- I decided the cost wasn't so bad after all! I went out and bought a larger one and have not regretted it. I love these pans.
Chicken & Veggies in Red Pots
This is a recent creation. I couldn't think of a name, so I decided to honor the new pans!
In an oven dish, layer:
- onion slices
- carrot pieces
- yellow/zuchinni squash slices
Sprinkle the veggies with:
- salt, pepper, thai basil & tarragon
Layer chicken pieces on top and sprinkle with:
- smoked paprika & McCormick's Mediterrnean Spiced Sea Salt
Put a lid on and bake till tender. Remover the lid a brown a bit before serving over rice. The combination of these seasonings is amazing!
Chicken with Peppers
Rebekah found this recipe. It's very yummy.
De-seed & cut into strips, an orange, yellow & red pepper.
Saute 2 medium, sliced red onions in olive oil.
Remove the onions, then brown chicken pieces (3 lb ?) in the oil.
Return the onions to the pan with the chicken and add:
- 2 cloves finely chopped garlic (or pressed)
- 1 small piece dried chili, crumbled (vary according to your tastes)
- 1/2 c. white wine
Cook until the wine is reduced by half.
Add the peppers and stir well to coat. Salt & Pepper it all.
Add 2 chopped tomatoes.
Cover & simmer 25-30 minutes till chicken is tender.
Sprinkle with parsley & serve!
Chicken & Veggies in Red Pots
This is a recent creation. I couldn't think of a name, so I decided to honor the new pans!
In an oven dish, layer:
- onion slices
- carrot pieces
- yellow/zuchinni squash slices
Sprinkle the veggies with:
- salt, pepper, thai basil & tarragon
Layer chicken pieces on top and sprinkle with:
- smoked paprika & McCormick's Mediterrnean Spiced Sea Salt
Put a lid on and bake till tender. Remover the lid a brown a bit before serving over rice. The combination of these seasonings is amazing!
Chicken with Peppers
Rebekah found this recipe. It's very yummy.
De-seed & cut into strips, an orange, yellow & red pepper.
Saute 2 medium, sliced red onions in olive oil.
Remove the onions, then brown chicken pieces (3 lb ?) in the oil.
Return the onions to the pan with the chicken and add:
- 2 cloves finely chopped garlic (or pressed)
- 1 small piece dried chili, crumbled (vary according to your tastes)
- 1/2 c. white wine
Cook until the wine is reduced by half.
Add the peppers and stir well to coat. Salt & Pepper it all.
Add 2 chopped tomatoes.
Cover & simmer 25-30 minutes till chicken is tender.
Sprinkle with parsley & serve!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)