"Creamy" Tomato Thyme Soup

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp oil (olive or coconut)
1 Medium yellow onion, chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
pinch crushed red pepper flakes
3 1/2 c chopped tomatoes (including juices)
3 cups chicken broth
2 Tbsp sour cream or Greek yogurt
shredded Parmesan cheese

1. Heat oil to medium-low. Add onion, carrot, celery and cook, stirring occasionally until soft, about 12 min. Add garlic, thyme, and pepper flakes and cook, stirring for 1-2 more mins.
2. Add tomatoes, including juices, and broth. Increase heat to high and bring to boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Puree soup. Serve warm, stirring in yogurt/sour cream if desired and garnishing with Parmesan cheese.

*you can make this vegan by using vegetable broth and removing dairy. Additionally, for those with dairy allergies, try soy based sour cream! Check shredded cheese and yogurt for gluten contents.

Healthy Muffuletta

Ingredients:

1- 1 1/2 lb organic chicken breasts
4 tsp olive oil
fresh ground black pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 zucchini, trimmed and sliced 1/4" thick lengthwise
1/2 cup pimento stuffed green olives and Kalamata olives
1 stalk celery, diced
1 cup roasted red peppers, finely diced
1/2 small sweet onion, finely diced
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp each oregano and parsley
sliced sourdough or pumpernickel
(low fat) provolone cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 and ensure one rack is on top third and one on bottom third of oven.
2. Brush chicken with 1 tsp oil and season with pepper and half of garlic. Place on parchment-lined sheet and roast on bottom rack in oven for approximately 1 hour.
3. Meanwhile, brush zucchini strips with 1 tsp oil and season with pepper. Arrange in single layer on parchment lined sheet and roast on top rack for 25 min.
4. Once cooked, remove zucchini and chicken and let cool.
5. While roasting, prepare olive salad: coarsely chop olives and transfer to medium bowl. (I like to add a touch of the olive juices :) Add remaining garlic, 2 tsp oil, celery, red peppers, onion, vinegar, oregano and parsley
6. Once chicken is cool enough to handle, chop into small pieces.
7. To assemble sandwich, spread olive salad on bottom half of bread. Layer with zucchini, cheese and chicken, then top with olive salad and bread.

*you can also do this with turkey, and it is a great way to use up leftover holiday turkey.

Chicken Korma

Ingredients:

5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 7 oz. each), cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tbsp. olive or coconut oil
1 large yellow onion
5 garlic cloves
3-4 pods cardamom
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garam masala
1/4 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup light coconut milk
1 cup roasted cashew pieces, no added salt
1/2 cup non-fat, plain Greek yogurt
Salt to taste


Directions:

1. Saute onions, garlic and cardamom in olive or coconut oil until onions translucent.
2. Add remaining spices.
2. Add chicken until mostly cooked.
4. Add remaining ingredients EXCEPT for the yogurt. Cook until chicken is cooked through.
5. Remove from heat and stir in yogurt and salt to taste.
6. Serve over basmati or brown rice and/or with clean eating naan. Can use quinoa instead if you are gluten free.

*caveat: this dish can easily be made dairy free by omitting the yogurt and adding more coconut milk or a soy based yogurt. Check yogurt for gluten contents

Gluten free information

We are not completely gluten free. Shocker right? But we do try to limit it to some degree. There are plenty of reasons for this:

A gluten-free diet isn’t just for those with celiac disease or a wheat allergy. Although eating wheat products, especially whole wheat, does offer some health benefits, the gluten can actually be harmful. Here are some reasons you may want to go gluten-free.

Humans don’t fully digest wheat. The undigested portions of wheat begin to ferment, producing gas. Icky, belchable, fart-forming gas.

Wheat is a pro-inflammatory agent. A pro-inflammatory agent is rapidly converted to sugar, causing a rise in the body’s insulin levels, causing a burst of inflammation at the cellular level, among other problems.

Wheat can cause leaky gut syndrome. Leaky gut syndrome is a condition whereby stuff is leaking from your gut into your bloodstream — stuff that shouldn’t be there, such as toxins.

Refined wheat has little nutritional value. Did you know that manufacturers actually have to enrich refined wheat because they’ve taken out all the nutrients? And even then, the wheat’s not that valuable, nutritionally speaking.

Wheat is one of the top-eight allergens. Millions of people are allergic to wheat — so many, in fact, that it has made it onto the top-eight allergen list.

Many people have gluten sensitivity or celiac disease, and don’t know it. So, how many people fall into this category? No one knows for sure. But 1 in 100 people has celiac disease — but most don’t know it. No one knows how many people have gluten sensitivity, but estimates are that it may be as high as 50 percent, or even 70 percent, of the population. from : http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/reasons-to-go-glutenfree.html


For awesome information: http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/p/how-to-go-g-free.html

For recipes: http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/category/gluten-free/

Lime Soup Eat Clean (Yucatan style)

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp EVOO
3 boneless, skinless organic chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1/2 " cubes
cumin, chili powder, Paprika
1 jalepeno pepper, finely chopped and seeded
1/4 red onion, diced fine
4 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups organic free range chicken broth
1/2 c baby spinach leaves
2 medium tomatoes
4 scallions, bulbs removed, finely chopped
2 Tbsp cilantro leaves
sea salt and pepper to taste
4-8 corn tortillas, very thinly sliced into 2 " matchsticks
2 limes, including zest of 1 lime
sour cream

Directions:

1. Season chicken with salt, pepper, 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp paprika. Heat 1 tsp oil on med-high. Add chicken, jalepeno, cumin, onion, garlic. Cook until chicken is no longer pink in center, and onions soft, stirring occasionally.

2. Add broth to mixture and boil over high. Once boiling, add spinach, tomatoes, scallions, cilantro, juice of 1 lime, zest of 1 lime, salt, pepper and 1 Tbsp oil. Decrease heat to low or remove from heat, covered, for at least 5 min to meld flavors and continue cooking vegetables slightly.

3. Meanwhile, heat nonstick pan with cooking spray or EVOO over med-high. Add tortilla matchsticks in bunches and cook for approximately 2 min or until golden and crispy.

4. To serve: add matchsticks, 1 Tbsp sour cream, squeeze of 1/4 lime, and, if desired, garnish with cilantro.

*My kids also really liked adding a bit of rice to this soup.
**Could remove chicken and replace chicken broth with vegetable broth, and even add a bit of avocado to the mix to make a tasty vegan option. For gluten intolerance, be careful- not all corn tortillas are gluten free!

Lentil Cabbage Soup with Smoked Sausage

Ingredients:

1-2 lbs Cajun smoked sausage
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 bay leaves
2 tsp thyme
3 tsp cumin
2 cups lentils, dry
3 carrots, diced
2 robs celery, diced
1 head of cabbage, sliced small
1/2 onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
6 cups water
1 Tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Brown sausage in pot in oil. Once brown, Add onions, carrot, celery, garlic. Saute and stir frequently to prevent sticking or burning.
2. Once onions, translucent, add tomato paste, bay leaves, seasonings and saute for 1-2 more minutes.
3. Add lentils, broth, water, and bring to boil.
4. While water coming to boil, chop cabbage. Add to pot once boiling, salt and pepper to taste. Lower to simmer for approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until cabbage and lentils are tender.


* Can easily remove the sausage for a delicious vegan version!
** If you haven't seen my previous caveat on Cajun smoked sausage, the sausage we use is not store bought. It is made in LA by my family from fresh veal and pork, smoked by my dad. It does not taste the same with store bought, although it would work. I have also seen many recipes that use Italian sausage.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

A NEW TAKE ON MY FAVORITE COOKIES!! JUST ADD OATMEAL AND A BIT MORE VEGAN MILK!!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c unbleached organic flour
1/2 c whole wheat flour
1 c quick cook oats
1/3 c unbleached organic sugar
1/3 c stevia
1/3 c brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 c organic vegan chocolate chip
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup coconut oil (I melt a bit first)
1 Tbsp vegan butter
1/2 c almond or Silk coconut milk
1 tsp organic pure vanilla extract
1 Tbsp dark molasses
1 flax egg (1 Tbsp flax, 3 Tbsp water--let sit for a bit before adding to recipe).


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Mix all dry ingredients
3. Separately mix all wet ingredients, including flax egg
4. Add wet mixture to dry mixture until well incorporated
5. Roll dough into compact balls, place on greased baking sheet or parchment paper, and squish down to make saucers.
6. Bake in oven for 10 minutes. Avoid the temptation...let cool for at least 5 minutes, then devour.