Creamy Asian Chicken Salad...

I was attempting to make something substantial for a nice picnic lunch. If you have ever met my super thin husband with a miraculously high metabolism (or know someone like him), you know it is hard to fill those kind of guys up. :-D He really loved this. I served it up wrapped in lettuce, gluten free style. Enjoy (and try not to drool over it too much). ;-)

~Creamy Asian Chicken Salad~

3 Chicken Breasts, Cooked and Diced
1/2 cup mayonnaise (I use THIS recipe for homemade mayo)
1-2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
1 tablespoon coconut aminos
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil (optional)
1/4 cup diced pineapple
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Mix chicken and mayo together.
Add all other ingredients and chill for 1 hour.
Serve wrapped in lettuce.

Edit: July 1, 2010~ I took and added in about a 1/4 cup of pecans that had been sauteed in coconut oil, coconut aminos, and some honey! Simply

scrumptious!

Please vote for me...

I am one of the 20 finalists in the St. Ives Recipe Contest. Please go to facebook now and vote for my Antipasto Salad. I am currently in 2nd place but I still need a lot of help! I would count it as a great blessing to win the grand prize!

Here is the link:
http://www.facebook.com/st......ives?ref=ts

Dairy free “NO”fredo Sauce...

I wish I had a picture for this one because it is just so delectable. :-) Let's just say that the husband's favorite dish is Chicken Alfredo (of the dairy variety) and he gave this two thumbs up.

Stephanie's “NO”fredo Sauce
2 cans coconut milk
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 diced purple onion
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp. chopped fresh parsley
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 teaspoon Italian seasonings
1 tsp. salt (or to taste)
Dash of cayenne
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Saute onion in oil until transparent. Add garlic until just sizzling and add all spices. Cook for 2-3 minutes until well blended (if it starts sticking, add broth or water to loosen it). Add coconut milk. Stir every so often on medium low heat for around 20-25 minutes (or until it starts thickening).

Pour over spaghetti squash just before serving. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and a dash of cayenne or paprika. Enjoy!

Zesty Applesauce Chicken...

I was wanting to try something unusual and since I was out of some staples (mainly chicken stock and coconut milk) I decided to do something with applesauce. Every recipe I searched seemed somewhat bland so I started adding things. This is the yummy and moist result! I cooked this in the crock pot but I am sure it would be fine in the oven as well. You will have to adjust cooking time of course (probably 350 for 45 min-1 hour).

Ingredients:
4 Frozen Chicken breasts or thighs
1 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce
1 T dried onion flakes
1 T raw apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp powdered garlic
1 T Olive Oil
1 tsp wheat free soy sauce
1 tsp sea salt
Dash of Cayenne

Directions:
Put the frozen chicken in the crock pot. Mix all other ingredients together and pour over chicken.
Cover and cook over low for 6 hours or on high 3 hours.

The Winner is Announced...

I would have done the announcement on Saturday, but my weekend was very full. I made a homemade Thanksgiving feast for my hubby and I on Thursday and then the rest of the weekend was busy with Six Flags, shopping, sleeping in, coffee with a friend, thrifting, and movies. :-) Ahhh, it was wonderful! :-D

So today I wrote each name on a piece of paper (some had double entries) and put them in a cup and mixed them up. I then had Michael randomly pick a paper. :-)

Congratulations to my sweet friend
Lauren Rose from North Carolina!

Thank you to everyone for participating in my first giveaway. Be on the lookout for my next one in January!

Confetti Spaghetti...

I am sure we all have those night where we do not feel like cooking a scrumptious and gourmet meal. Tonight was one of those nights for me. Michael was at school all day studying and I was just plumb tired. I wanted to make something really quick, but I also wanted Michael to enjoy his dinner. As I was pulling leftovers out of the fridge, a light bulb went on in my otherwise very sleepy brain. Here is the result. :-)

Sorry the picture isn't the best quality, but it helps you get the drift. ;-)

~ Confetti Spaghetti ~
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 finely chopped or pressed Garlic Cloves
1/2 cup shredded Carrots
1 Tablespoon Bragg's Amino Acids
3 cooked Italian Sausages, chopped into bite size pieces
8 ounces Tomato Sauce
1/2 teaspoon Oregano
1/4 teaspoon Thyme
Celtic salt to taste
1/2 cup Heavy Whipping Cream (or full fat Coconut Milk)

Saute carrots in oil until tender. Add Amino Acids and garlic. Mix in the sausage, spices, and tomato sauce and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes. Add cream and simmer for another 5 minutes on low heat.

Serve over a mixture of spaghetti and corkscrew pasta. Close eyes as you savor each bite. ;-)

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Remember that my giveaway for the "Gluten Free Almond Flour Cookbook" ends at 11:59 Friday evening. Make sure you join in!

The Giveway

Mediterranean Kale...

I absolutely adore Kale. I tell people this and the usual response is "what is Kale?" After pausing in shock, I will explain the tasty yet uniquely piquant flavor to them, and of course the health benefits of this leafy green vegetable. It can be prepared many different ways, and of course eaten raw in salad too. :-) I read somewhere recently that a serving of Kale has more calcium than a glass of milk. :-) Here is a favorite way for me to make it.

~Mediterranean Kale~
1 medium Onion, chopped
2 large cloves Garlic, finely chopped
2 Tablespoons extra virgin Olive Oil
1 large bunch of Kale, coarsely chopped,washed, and dried
1 Tablespoon Coconut Aminos 
2 Tablespoons Tapenade
1/4 Teaspoon Nutmeg
1/4 Teaspoon Marjoram
Dashes of pepper and cinnamon
1 small jar Marinated Artichoke Hearts, chopped
1/2 cup Feta Cheese
1 small Tomato, diced
Celtic Salt, to taste

~Dressing~
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
2 Tablespoons Coconut Aminos
1 Tablespoon Honey
1 Teaspoon brown Mustard
1/2 Teaspoon dried Rosemary
1/2 Teaspoon dried Oregano
1/2 Teaspoon dried Thyme
1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 Teaspoon Celtic Sea Salt

Saute onion in olive oil until transparent. Add Kale and cooked until slightly wilted. Add all other ingredients (with the exception of the Feta and Tomato) and cook for 5 minutes. Do not allow Kale to become soggy. Add Tomato and Feta cheese and lightly drizzle Kale with Dressing before serving.

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Just a reminder about my Giveaway for the "Gluten Free Almond Flour Cookbook". The contest ends one week from today (the 27th) so get your entries in! I am thoroughly enjoying reading everyone's food memory. :-) Believe me, you don't want to miss out on this incredible cook book!

The Giveway