Free Chicken Nuggets

My favorite meal of all time is chicken nuggets. 

I grew up eating the ones you buy from the grocery store and occasionally enjoyed the fast food version.  Then I got married.  It didn't work for us to go to the drive thru every time I had a craving and I was determined to not buy processed food- so I learned to make my own.   

I have tried a number of recipes, all which disappointed and then I found it.  I found a chicken nugget recipe that inspired me to make my own version.  

I am confident that I will be feeding my version to my grandchildren one day.  

It is fast and easy and in fact, my husband is usually the one to make it!

If you haven't tried this recipe already, give it a try.  I promise you won't be disappointed...unless you use vanilla flavored Rice Krispies.  
 
Gluten Free Chicken Nuggets*, feeds 4

Ingredients:

• 2 Chicken breasts
• 1/3 cup olive oil (+ extra on hand if you run out)
• 3-4 cups gluten free Rice Krispies, crushed**
• 3 tbsp of gluten free flour

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray or line with parchment paper.
3. Crush rice krispies (by hand or with food processor) and add flour.  Put in bowl and set aside.
4. Cut defrosted chicken into chunks/strips and put on plate.
5. Pour olive oil in a bowl
6. Begin an assembly line until all of the chicken has been used   

• dip chicken in olive oil
• dip chicken in Rice Krispie mixture
• put on pan  

    7. Sprinkle/drizzle any leftover krispies/oil over top.
    8. Bake in the oven until the meat is white in  the center (about 30 minutes).  Flip half way
      through.

Easy Peasy!

Notes: 
*Don't be fooled by the Gluten Free aspect.  A) they are still delicious...like actually and B) use regular Rice Krispies and white flour and you are able to have gluten.

** I keep a jar of crushed Rice Krispies on hand.  When it is low, I use my blender and make some more
  

Sweet Potato Lentil Soup

  This week I made Slow-Cooker Sweet Potato and Lentil Soup. It is a recipe I found on The Food Network Website, so you know it has to be good.  I have eaten it almost every day and am in love with the flavors.  I hope you enjoy it too!

Source

You can find the recipe here.

Tips/Adaptations:
- I didn't want to wait, so I made my batch in a pot instead of the slow-cooker.  It took about an hour and turned out great.
- I really like coconut milk, so I added a can of light coconut milk.  It added a really nice flavor.
- Instead of butter, I used coconut oil, for the flavor and health benefits
- I originally didn't use very much ginger and the taste was dull.  I added ginger and extra curry powder until the soup tasted just right.  This was a good choice.
- For some reason I thought I had to puree the soup, so I did.  Now I realize that I didn't have to, but I don't regret it.  I would puree it again.
- I didn't have cilantro and it was still good.
- I bought cilantro and it made the soup taste even better!!!

Snow Days & Comfort Meals: Butter Chicken

Today I got an early morning phone call telling me to go back to sleep- it was a snow day!  This was a welcomed surprise.  It meant that I could sleep in, stay in my PJ’s for way too long, and work on Christmas presents.  This year I am making about 90% of my gifts.  I am really proud of what I have been making and will share them with you after Christmas...I don’t want to give anything away!  

It also meant that I could share with you one of my family’s favorite meals Slow Cooker Butter Chicken.  It is dairy, wheat, egg & gluten free, but does contain nuts. The best part is that my very taste specific husband considers this his favourite meal, next to Chicken Nuggets of course.  

If you are thinking “I don’t like Indian food or curry”, I still suggest you give it a try.  The flavor is very subtle and doesn’t taste very curryish.  Rather it is just a warm, easy, comforting meal- especially for a Snow Day like today.

The original recipe can be found at the Canadian Living website.  Instead of typing it up, I will direct you to the RECIPE itself.

   

NOTES:

• I have substituted the butter for Earth Balance and sour cream for coconut milk to make it dairy free.  
• We serve it over Quinoa, but I bet it is good over rice too. 
• For sides we enjoy peas or green beans
• I usually only use 3 chicken thighs.  They shred in the Slow Cooker and are a nice accent.
• I add the chicken from the beginning, we like how it shreds.  This means we don't puree it, and it is still quite good.  If you prefer it pureed, remove the cooked chicken, shred on a plate, puree the sauce, then add all together again. 
• This meal freezes beautifully.  It usually feeds my husband and I and leaves enough leftovers for 4 more servings. 

Move over Pumpkin Pie. Here comes a Maple Pecan Pie that we all can enjoy!

I have two brothers.  My younger brother is a talented writer/editor and my older one is a gifted chef.  Every year the chef treats our family to an amazing dinner to celebrate the fall birthdays.

 

Not only was the gourmet food to die for, but so was the view

This past weekend he had us over to his Vancouver apartment and treated us to three memorable courses:

Root Vegetable Inspired Appetizers

Mediterranean Themed Main Course

Maple Flavoured Desserts

Is your mouth watering yet?  Trust me, it should be.  And the best part is that he made it all allergy friendly, so I could truly enjoy these masterpieces. 

Here is a breakdown for those of you curious of what each course entailed:

• Appetizers: Root Vegetable Soup; Yellow Beet Hummus with a variety of Root Vegetable Chips; and a Beet Panna Cotta with Pickled Carrots, Diakon and Turnips.

• Main Course:  Stuffed Chicken over top of Puttanesca; Lamb Meatballs with a Mint Yogurt; an Empanada stuffed with Ratatouille topped with some delicious yellow sauce; Rice Pilaf; Lemon Roasted Potatoes; and Maple Glazed Carrots

• Dessert: Unset Vegan Maple Fudge underneath a Maple Pecan Pie with a Gluten Free Crust topped with Maple Bacon Coconut Milk Ice Cream

I happened to arrive when he was preparing the Maple Pecan Pie...and it quickly became my favorite.  Made on a gluten free crust made it enjoyable for both me and the 'regular eating' guests.

So today, I share with you the recipe from Post Punk Kitchen and the little extra's he added to make it special (you will find those in a bolded green).  I will share the basics, for more details be sure to visit the link.


Chocolate Maple Pecan Pie/Tarts
 
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup non-hydrogenated margarine (goat butter) 
6 oz extra firm silken tofu (1/2 of a tetra pack)
1/4 cup cold unsweetened plain non-dairy milk (Quinoa Milk)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups pecan halves  
1/2 a bag of vegan chocolate chips

Note: Leftover filling can be used for ice cream topping, or if you are like me, you can eat it by the spoonful. 

Melt together sugars and maple syrup to make a caramel.  Add goat butter the take off heat.

In a blender mix tofu, cornstarch and non-dairy milk

Add tofu mixture, vanilla and pecans to caramel mixture

Optional: add chocolate chips and stir

Pour mixture into prepared pie crust and bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.

The finished product!

 
What a great night and a great menu! The good news is that he caters! and is a great teacher- I have learned so much and I am thankful that he taught me that just because you have limitations on your diet doesn't mean that you can't enjoy a delicious, gourmet meal.  Be adventurous, or else you may never find out that yellow beets make a great hummus!

The Perfect Allergy Friendly Christmas Cookie: Gingersnaps

I love to eat cookies, so I was pretty happy when I was able to use substitutions on a really good gingersnap recipe and create an even better one, one that I could enjoy.

  

These super easy cookies are a must for you to make if you have guests this Christmas Season with an allergy/intolerance to wheat, gluten, dairy or eggs.  I have gotten the approval from those that have allergies and even those that don't, so rest assured that your guests will enjoy them and be ever thankful that you made something they could enjoy with you.

Gingersnap cookies (Make 2 dozen large, or 3 dozen small cookies)
gluten, wheat, dairy, and egg free!                                                                                                                     

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees

1.  In large bowl, combine:
-  1 cup canola oil*
-  2 cups white sugar
- ½ cup molasses
-  Flax gel (6 tbsp hot water + 2 tbsp ground  flaxseed)*
-  1 tsp vanilla
 


2. In a separate bowl, mix together:
- 4 cups Gluten Free Flour blend* (I used bob’s all purpose GF Flour)
- 1 tsp xanthan/guar gum*
- 1.5 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp ginger
- 1 tsp cloves

3. Mix dry ingredients into wet. 

 

4. Roll cookies in sugar and place on parchment lined cookie sheets. 

5. Bake for 10 minutes at 350, then let cool for five minutes before removing to a wire rack.  They make about 3 dozen and freeze really well.

 ***If you want to swap ingredients for 'regular' ones, follow the guide below:
- Canola oil- use margarine or butter

- Flax Gel- use 2 eggs

- GF Flour Blend- use white flour and omit the xanthan/guar gum 

Yum!