Sweet & Sour Chicken

Sweet & Sour Chicken

(for Paige Conrad <3 )

Sorry, I am not a very good blogger, I know this. I forget to take pictures of everything. So, use your imagination! Also, this recipe is Gluten Free, Dairy free, Refined sugar free and Very easy to make in mass quantities! 

Ingredients: 

1/2 Cup Low Sodium Soy sauce [Gluten Free, if needed]

1/4 Cup Mollasses

2 Tbs. Ground Ginger

3 Tbs. Garlic

Salt & Pepper

1 Cup Pineapple Juice

1 Cup Pineapple [Diced]

1/2 Cup Mango [Diced]

1/2 Cup Peaches [Diced]

1 Cup Broccoli

1 Cup Carrots

4 Small Chicken Breasts [Diced]

1 Cup Your Choice of Rice [I recommend Brown]

To Prepare:

1.) Combine Soy Sauce, Molasses, Ginger, Garlic and Salt and Pepper in a large pot, heat for 5 minutes on medium. 

2. ) Add all Fruits, Vegetables and Chicken and Pineapple Juice to the large pot. 

3.) Stir Regularly, and leave on medium heat until all chicken is cooked

4.) While chicken is cooking, cook rice as you prefer. When I made this, I just used bulk brown rice. To prepare, I boiled 2 Cups of water and For every Cup of rice. I added salt and some pineapple juice to enhance the flavor.  

5.) Once the rice is cooked, serve the chicken over the rice. Enjoy! 

If you want a thicker sauce, you can add a tablespoon of cornstarch, but this is not necessary. 

Chocolate & Mint Paleo Milkshake: 100 Calories!

Chocolate & Mint Paleo Milk Shake

Ingredients:

1 Can Lite Coconut milk {Can be found in the asian food section of many stores}

1 tsp. Peppermint Extract

2 Tbs. Cocoa Powder

1/4 Cup honey

Instructions:

1.) Combine all ingredients in blender

2.) Fill empty coconut milk can with ice one and a half times and empty into blender

3.) Blend for 1-2 minutes or until completely smooth

Top with cocoa powder and enjoy! :)

(makes 4-5 servings)

Cabbage Crunch

Cabbage Crunch

Whole Foods' Cabbage Crunch has been one of my personal favorites for years. I have never attempted to make it, until I walked by a beautiful display of cabbage at Market of Choice yesterday, and decided to give it a shot. How hard could it be? I googled recipes right there in the produced section but was unimpressed with the results. They called for ramen noodles and seasoning, refined sugar and apple cider mix. 

I decided I'd do it my way.

Here is what I came up with! The portions can be magnified by doubling or tripling the ingredient quantities.

Ingredients:

3 Cups of Green Cabbage [Chopped]

1/2 Cup Almonds [Roasted//Unsalted//Chopped]

2 Tbs. Sesame Seeds

2 Tbs. Apple Cider Vinegar

2 tsp Olive Oil

Pepper

1 tsp Honey

Preparation:

Combine cabbage, almonds and sesame seeds in a large bowl. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine Vinegar, Olive Oil, Pepper, and Honey. Whisk with a fork and add to cabbage mixture. You can double the dressing recipe if you prefer more without compromising the health of the dish since it is a healthy dressing. 

Mix thoroughly so that the dressing is evenly incorporated throughout the salad. Chill before serving. Mine sat in the fridge over night which let the flavors in the dressing to soak into the cabbage, and allowed the cabbage to soften a little bit.

Enjoy!

Paleo Cereal

Paleo Cereal

So I started the Paleo diet yesterday! I want to get the most out of what I eat, and eliminate empty calories and unnecessary chemicals. I spent a lot of yesterday prepping food for the week and reading on the diet. One thing I learned is that Paleo eating is a lot about portion control, in addition to eating only whole, natural foods. Although foods like fruits and oils are allowed on the Paleo diet, they should be kept to a minimum as the Paleo man would have minimally consumed them.

So first up, I made Paleo Breakfast Cereal!

The ingredients are as follows:

Upon Preparation:

1 Cup Almonds [Unsalted // Roasted // Chopped]

1/4 Cup Pumpkin Seeds [Unsalted//Raw]

1/2 Cup Sunflower seeds [Unsalted//Raw]

1/2 Cup Chia Seeds 

1/2 Cup Dehydrated Blueberries [Unsweetened]

1/4 Cup Cashews [Raw]

//Add 1/3 of a Cup to zip lock bags, adding a dash of cinnamon in each bag, which will result in 1 portion when  fresh fruit is added.

Upon Eating Add:

1/3 Ripe Banana [Chopped]

4-5 Raspberries

1/2 tsp. Honey [Drizzled]

1/3 Cup Almond Milk [Unsweetened]

Enjoy! Keeps you full all morning!

Pineapple// Ginger & Banana 'sorbet'

So I recently gave up refined sugar, but that by no means means my

Sweet tooth has entirely disappeared. However when I crave sweet, this certainly does the trick. And it only requires three ingredients! 

3/4 Cups Frozen Pineapple

1/2 of a Banana

1/8 tsp Fresh Ginger {grated}

And the directions are simple!

1. Combine all ingredients In a blender
2. Blend on high
3. 'Smoosh' with a wooden soon until desired consistancy

Enjoy :)

Sesame Chicken Salad

Sesame Chicken Salad

Serves 2.

Ingredients

>>Preparing the chicken

2 Chicken Breasts {sliced}

Olive Oil 

1/4 Cup (gluten free) Soy Sauce

1 teaspoon (gluten free) cooking sherry 

1/2 Teaspoon Sugar in the Raw

>>Dressing

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1.5 Tablespoon Sesame Oil

1 chive {chopped}

1/4 Cup Rice Vinegar

Salt & Peppa

>>Salad

2 Cups of Lettuce

1 Cup shredded Read Cabbage

1/2 Cup Bean Sprouts

1/2 Red Pepper {diced}

1/2 Cup Shredded Carrots

Directions. 

>>Preparing the Chicken

1. Slice chicken and cook on medium/high in olive oil. 

2. Combine soy sauce, cooking sherry and sugar in a medium sized bowl.

3. Once chicken is cooked thoroughly, transfer from pan to bowl prepared in step 2, letting sit while you prepare the vegetables and dressing. 

>>Dressing

1. Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender and pulse on high speed until all ingredients are incorporated. 

>>Salad

1. Chop all ingredients to desired shape and size.

2. Toss in a large bowl while pouring dressing evenly over the mixture. 

>>Finishing the Chicken

4. Remove chicken from soy sauce marinade. 

5. Heat sesame oil in a pan and cook chicken over medium/high heat until outside is crusted and flavors are steep. 

6. Remove from heat, add to salad

Top with toasted sesame seeds or wontons of desired. Enjoy!

Coconut//Peanut//Chicken Soup

Coconut//Peanut//Chicken Soup

Makes 2 Servings

Ingredients:

1 Cup Chicken Broth {low sodium}

10 Baby Carrots {sliced in half, lengthwise}

1 chicken breast {sliced thinly}

1/4 Cup Basmati Rice {cooked}

1 3 Oz. Can of Coconut Milk

1 Tbs. Rice Vinegar

1 Tbs. Gluten Free Soy Sauce

2 Tbs PB2* {or regular peanut butter}

1 Handful Bean-sprouts

1.5 Cup Cabbage {chopped}

1/4 Cup of peanuts {to top, roasted & unsalted}

Directions.

1. Bring 1 cup of chicken broth to a boil. Add carrots, and let cook on low for 20 minutes or until carrots are soft.

2. Add chicken breast. Keep on medium until chicken is cooked.

3. Add rice, coconut milk, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and peanut butter. Stir on medium until all ingredients are fully incorporated. Add Bean sprouts and cabbage. Let cook until desired texture.

4. Reduce heat, serve with peanuts on top. 

Enjoy! 

*PB2 is essentially dehydrated peanut. It is basically powdered peanuts that you add water to to make it creamy. It can be found at health food or alternative food stores. It has far fewer calories than regular peanut butter and no oil. You don't need to add the water for this recipe.

Avocado//Lime Pasta Salad

Avocado//Lime Pasta Salad

Very healthy & very simple.

Ingredients :

{ makes 2 servings}

1 Avocado {mashed}

3 Tablespoon of Cilantro {chopped}

1 large Chicken Breast {sliced}

1 Cup Gluten Free Quinoa Noodles 

1 teaspoon each Salt & Peppa'

1 Lime {juiced}

1 teaspoon Garlic {minced finely}

1/2 Can of black beans 

Directions:

Bring water to a boil and add quinoa noodles. Boil for 3 minutes + add sliced chicken breast to boiling water. Cook for another 5 minutes. 

Drain and run under cold water, or if you have time, refrigerate until cold! 

Next, add mashed avocado, cilantro, salt & peppa', juice from 1 lime, and garlic. Top with black beans and enjoy!

Coconut//Almond//Dark Chocolate Cookie Bars

I wrote this a few months ago but made them again today just to make sure they past the share test. I have to say they are quite delicious. They are Coconut//Almond//Dark Chocolate Cookie Bars! (no sugar except in agave and honey) I apologize that I have no images, I keep forgetting to take them when I cook, all I got this time was the coconut! And unfortunately, the bars have been all consumed.

Any of the more unique ingredients and flours can (and should) be bought in the bulk section of a health food store to avoid the very high cost of these ingredients otherwise.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

For crust:

Combine in medium bowl.

1 cup almond meal

1/2 cup tapioca flour

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/3 cup lite agave

1/4 cup honey

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp xanthan gum

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Spread evenly at the bottom of 9x13 glass baking dish, preferably atop parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a double broiler, combine:

3 oz. no sugar added dark chocolate

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup almond butter

2 tsp. coconut oil

2 cups gluten free outs

After your crust cooks for 15 minutes, take out and spread chocolate almond butter mixture evenly over crust. Bake for 5 minutes

Next, add unsweetened coconut flakes to the top of bars, slightly pressing into chocolate layer with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula or something. Bake for three minutes.

Take out and allow it to cool before you cut, or else it will crumble. Store refrigerated

Enjoy! Depending on how you cut,  this recipe could make 24 bars!

Another note is that this is just a good gluten free cookie bar crust recipe. One thing I have done before is the same crust, except i topped it with peanut butter, then added a strawberry puree and baked for 5ish minutes and then topped with sliced strawberries and almonds which was really popular!

Finally, made it to the blog world.

To start, I'd like to explain just a bit about why I started this blog. Here is a quick description of my situation:

I am a student at Oregon State. I live in a co-op where I share a room with six people. To make a long story short, about two years ago I was diagnosed with celiac disease. This means I can not eat gluten and am sensitive to contamination. Also, I cannot eat dairy due to the fact that it gives me pretty bad eczema. Anyways, for the past two years it was fairly easy, living at home with my family who gave me a lot of support in dealing with my allergies and we kept gluten out of the house.

 Fast forward to now: The co-op I live in has an amazing cook, but unfortunately I cannot eat the house's food due to the risk of contamination. I need my own dishes, pots and pans to keep gluten totally out of my body.

So i cook for myself, every day! Which is not a bad thing, I love to cook and I love to eat! However, the only space I have for food is one mini-fridge. Not one of the teensy ones, one of the medium sized ones you might find in the office. I also have to carry all the ingredients down to the kitchen, and back up to my room (on the third floor) every night.

Moral of this long saga, I keep it simple and healthy. I love writing new recipes and sharing them with friends, family, and whoever wants to listen! So here I am, entering the blog world, hoping to help with anyones goals of healthy, whole and simple cooking! Enjoy!