Chicken Satay and Lemongrass Rice

A huge Thank you to my friend, Jillian Fenton, on such a fabulous recipe! Thanks for sharing!! Both Jillian and I are starting to cook using 100% pure grade essential oils and man do they make a HUGE difference to the taste of food! Jillian shared this fantastic recipe with me and I just had to post it! Jillian and I only use Young Living Essential Oils when cooking base on their 100% Pure Grade. This recipe calls for Lemongrass in the rice and it really enhances the taste!

This is a Gluten Free dish. 

A note from Jillian..."As many of you may know I have recently started using Essential Oils and have become hooked. With my love of cooking and baking I have started experimenting with utilizing essential oils in my meals.  If you are interested in seeing more of my recipes using essential oils please message me at fenton.jillian@gmail.com. Also, you can purchase Lemongrass oil and other essential oils through me, as well!

Below is a super easy recipe for weeknight cooking that is packed with flavor.  Enjoy!!"

Chicken Satay Ingredients

3 chicken breasts (boneless and skinless) cut in half lengthwise

2 T Sesame Oil

2 T low sodium soy sauce (you can use Gluten Free)

1T Rice vinegar

1t Sriracha

1T Creamy peanut butter

1/2t minced garlic

Directions

• Whisk all marinade ingredients together and add chicken.  Ensure all of the chicken is coated and let marinade for 30 min.
• Place on grill until fully cooked.

Cilantro Lemongrass Rice Ingredients

2 Cups Light Coconut Milk (can use just water as well)

1 Cup Basmati rice

5-10 drops of Young Living Lemongrass Essential oil depending on depth of flavor you like

Handful of Cilantro chopped

Directions 

• Place Coconut milk in saucepan and bring to a boil.
• Add rice cover reduce heat to simmer for 20 min
• Add drops of Lemongrass oil and cilantro

Lemon Pepper Chicken with Lemon Sauce

I am so excited about this recipe I found!! I am always looking for sauces that are gluten free and dairy free, but I really struggle to find any that taste good! I finally found one I was interested in trying and it's really yummy!!

I found it in Cooking Light and they describe it as , "the classic Greek lemon-egg soup, avgolemono." The chef stated that this sauce could be put on everything...chicken, fish, mashed potatoes, vegetables, etc. I paired our chicken meal with mashed new red potatoes and steamed broccoli and it was fabulous!

This dish and the sauce is gluten free (if you use a Gluten Free chicken stock) and dairy free. This was a fairly easy dish to make and I will definitely make it again!

Ingredients for Chicken

• 4 chicken breasts
• 1 tablespoon Lemon Pepper seasoning
• Salt and pepper (for taste)

Ingredients for Lemon Sauce

• 2 cups of unsalted chicken stock
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons of grated lemon zest
• Fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp of kosher salt
• 1 Tablespoon of olive oil

Directions for Chicken and Lemon Sauce

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Place your chicken breasts in a 9x13 glass Pyrex dish. 
• Sprinkle salt and pepper on chicken for taste.
• Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of Lemon Pepper seasoning evenly across the 4 pieces of chicken.
• Bake Chicken for 40 to 45 minutes until done and no longer pink.
• About 20 minutes into your chicken baking, you are ready to start making the Lemon Sauce.
• Heat the chicken stock over medium-high heat in a heavy medium saucepan until tiny bubbles form around the edge. Do Not Boil.
• Combine the eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt in a medium bowl.
• Whisk until the eggs are frothy and lighter in color.
• Ladle about a cup of the hot chicken stock into the egg mixture 1/4 cup at a time, while stirring constantly (but not too vigorously) with a whisk.
• Lower the heat on the remaining chicken stock to as low as possible. Wait for 2 minutes, and then add the egg, lemon and stock mixture back to the pot, stirring to combine.
• Warm the sauce gently until it coats a spoon.
• Whisk in the olive oil to finish.
• When the chicken is done cooking, pour the desired amount of lemon sauce on top of the chicken and serve.
• Store remaining lemon sauce in the refrigerator for future use. Use within 3 days.

Lemon Sauce Servings: 10

Nutritional Information:

Calories 39; Fat 2.8g; Protein 3g; Carbs 1g; Chol 56mg; Sodium 169mg; Calc 10mg

Crock Pot Roasted Garlic Herb Chicken

I had a friend include me in a recipe exchange email chain and I'm so glad she did! I got a FANTASTIC crock pot recipe and I'm so excited to share it! I love crock pot recipes. They are perfect for fall weather and busy schedules! 

This one is super interesting because of the garlic and lemon. The taste came out amazing and the chicken was very tender. This one is gluten free, as long as your chicken broth has no gluten included. It took me 10 minutes to prep this one and then off I went with my day!

Enjoy this super easy recipe and thanks to Mrs. Vicki Davidson for passing it along! It's definitely worth repeating!



Ingredients:

• Whole Chicken
• 1cup chopped celery
• 2 cups baby carrots
• Chicken broth (gluten free)
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 1 lemon
• 1 tsp salt 
• 1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:

Place carrots & celery at the bottom of the slow cooker, and pour chicken broth over the celery and carrots just to cover them. Place chicken on top.

In a bowl mix the garlic, juice of the lemon, rosemary and salt & pepper to taste. Save the lemon rinds. Then rub this mixture onto the chicken.

                                      

Throw the lemon rinds in the crock pot and cover. Cook on low for 5-6 hours until chicken falls off the bone.

Rosemary Dijon Baked Chicken Breast

This is one of those recipes you will want to make when you don't really feel like putting a lot of effort into your meal, yet you want to eat a good and healthy meal. I found this one at Allrecipes180.com. I did re-name this recipe because their naming convention just wasn't doing it for me (sorry).

This one is really simple to make and it has such an amazing taste. I'm a HUGE fan of recipes with Dijon Mustard! This one always turns out really moist and my kids asked for seconds. This one pairs really well with mashed potatoes and green beans as your sides.

This one is Gluten Free. Try this one on a night where you want to make dinner but you just don't feel like being in the kitchen for more than 10 minutes prepping. You'll love it and will appreciate the simplicity of this meal!

Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• Salt & pepper
• Fresh Rosemary

Directions

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• In a small bowl, mix together mustard, syrup, and vinegar.
• Place chicken breasts into 9×13 greased baking dish. It's REALLY important that your pan is well greased so it doesn't stain! 
• Season the chicken with salt & pepper. 
• Pour mustard mixture over chicken. Make sure each breast is coated.

• Bake for about 30-40 minutes.
• Season with chopped rosemary.

Sweet Garlic Chicken

I have such a funny story to go with this recipe post! I received a text tonight from my next door neighbor and she said her husband walked by our house outside and smelled this wonderful smell. He walked back in his house and said, "Amanda must be cooking something really good because even the outside of her house smells fantastic!" Ha Ha! I LOVE IT!

And yes, indeed I was :)

I made this wonderful little dish from myfridgefood.com called Sweet Garlic Chicken. It is really easy to make and is a fast prep. This is a gluten free dish and has 4 easy ingredients: chicken breasts, olive oil, fresh garlic and brown sugar. That's it!

I do want to share that this dish stirred up a lot of conversation on a Facebook post about the 4 Tablespoons of brown sugar this dish calls for. But let me stress that it's only 4 Tablespoons of brown sugar spread over 4 breasts of chicken. That's really not a lot. I dont eat brown sugar every day. As a matter of fact, I rarely eat sugar. But having some sugar in your diet is not a bad thing. If you are diabetic, you may not want to try this dish. But it's a chicken dish and there is nothing wrong or unhealthy about eating chicken with about 1 Tablespoon of brown sugar on it per piece.

Ok off my soap box:)

Below is the recipe and I hope you love it! Oh! And my neighbor text me about 2 hours later and said they saw my post on Facebook for this recipe (and they loved how this smelled outside my house) and decided to try this chicken dish tonight.  They told me they loved it and it will be a repeat in their house! So, yes it's worth repeating!

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 450°F.  Line a Pyrex baking dish or cookie sheet with aluminum foil and lightly coat with cooking spray or lightly brush with oil.

• In small sauté pan, sauté garlic with the oil until tender.

• Remove from heat and stir in brown sugar. Add salt and pepper as desired.

• Place chicken breasts in a prepared baking dish and cover with the garlic and brown sugar mixture. NOTE: Your brown sugar mixture should be the consistency of a rub and not a liquid.

• Cook uncovered for about 30 to 40 minutes until your chicken is done all the way through. You are then ready to serve! 

Greek Marinated Chicken

I found a fabulous chicken recipe this past weekend and I just have to share it! This one is a Greek Marinated Chicken made with chicken thighs and legs. This one comes from "Budget Bytes". Their website is: http://www.budgetbytes.com/2013/06/greek-marinated-chicken/ and I can appreciate the information they place on the site. They give a lot of information about balancing your budget and still having the ability to eat well. That's right up my alley! Check out their site for some great budget information with your grocery list!

This Greek Marinated Chicken recipe grabbed my attention because they posted a picture with the chicken marinating in a white creamy sauce. When I looked at the ingredients, I saw it was made from plain Greek yogurt! YEAH for a healthy marinade high in protein!

This one is really easy to make. You do need to let your chicken marinate for 30 minutes, but this one is gluten free and can be baked in the oven or grilled. Step by step instructions are listed below. This one has a wonderful garlic and lemon taste and was a huge hit tonight in my house! This will easily become one of your family's favorites!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 medium lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley
• 4lbs chicken pieces (I chose thighs and legs)

Directions:

• To make the marinade, combine the yogurt, olive oil, minced garlic, oregano, salt and pepper in a bowl.

• Use a cheese grater or zester to scrape a thin later of lemon zest from the lemon skin into the bowl.
• Add the the juice from half the lemon. Stir until the ingredients are well combined.
• Clean and then chop about 1/4 cup of fresh parsley and add to the bowl and mix well with the marinade.

• Grab a gallon sized zip top bag and add the chicken pieces and marinade to the bag. Move the chicken around to ensure each piece is well coated.

• Refrigerate the bag for about 30 minutes.
• After marinating, you can choose to grill the chicken or bake in the oven. If you bake in the oven, preheat oven to 375 and bake for about 40 to 60 minutes to ensure done.
• I chose to grill the chicken and grilled for a total of 35 minutes.

Ensure your chicken is cooked fully through and it is then ready to serve.

                                  

Chicken with Scallion-Lime Sauce and Sweet Carrot Rice

I'm a Rachel Ray fan and bought her book, "Express Lane Meals" about 2 years ago. I've tried only 1 of her recipes so far, so I decided it's time to try another! While working with my nephew and putting together his meals, I came across this one and decided to try it. It's kinda "fancy"! Definitely a good dish, but has a really different taste due to the coriander so it is absolutely worth posting. I don't make a lot of dished with coriander, but this one turned out nice. I can see myself making this one for me and my husband on a Saturday night when we want something different and more special.

This one is Gluten Free, and let me just say this. The reason most of my dishes are Gluten free is because I cook with non-processed food 99% of the time. The Chicken Stock I use is Gluten Free. A lot of chicken stock has wheat in it, so please read your labels. Fresh ingredients are so much better in taste and in nutritional value. I highly recommend if you are going to cook, use fresh ingredients.

Ok, so this one has multiple steps so again I took several pictures.  Have fun with this one!

Ingredients:

• 4 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 large carrots, peeled and grated
• Salt and pepper for taste
• 1 1/2 cups white rice (I use Basmati rice)
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• Zest and juice of 2 limes
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 3 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 3 bunches of scallions
• 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tablespoons butter

Directions:

• Heat a medium pot with a tight-fitting lid over medium high heat.  Add about 1 tablespoon of the extra virgin olive oil, once around the pan.
• Add the grated carrots and a little salt and pepper and cook, stirring for 1 minute.  
• Add the rice and stir to coat in the oil and distribute the carrots.

                                 

• Add 2 1/2 cups of the chicken stock.  Bring the stock to a boil, cover the pot, and reduce the heat to a simmer.  Cook for 15 to 18 minutes, until the rice is tender.
• Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  While the pan is heating up, combine 2 tablespoons of the extra virgin olive oil, the thyme, lime zest, salt and pepper in a shallow dish.

                                

• Add the chicken breasts to the skillet and cook until done all the way through.

                                

• Transfer the chicken to a plate and cover it loosely with aluminum foil. 
• Return the skillet to the heat; add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil.
• Add the garlic, red pepper flakes and coriander.

                                

• Cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute.  Add the lime juice and the remaining 1/2 cup of chicken stock and continue to cook for about 3 minutes. Turn the heat off and add the parsley and butter, stirring and shaking the pan until the butter is completely melted.
• To serve, slice the chicken on a slight angle.  Divide the rice among 4 serving plates and top each pile of rice with slices of chicken breast.
• Pour some scallion-lime sauce over each chicken breasts.

                            

Chicken Capri

This is an old recipe I forgot I had!  This one is really easy to make and tasty!  I was a huge fan of The South Beach Diet when it came out back in 2004.  I have all 3 of their cookbooks and they focus on "good" carbs that are high protein food items.  This one goes really well with a crisp garden salad.  And yes, it is Gluten Free!  It is high in protein and low in carbs!  You'll really enjoy this one!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup reduced-fat ricotta cheese
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup crushed tomatoes
• 4 slices reduced-fat mozzarella cheese

Directions:

• With a mixer, combine the ricotta cheese with oregano, salt and pepper.
• Rub the chicken with the garlic powder
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add the chicken and cook for 12 minutes per side. NOTE: Your chicken will not be done!
• Place the chicken breasts side by side in a large baking dish and allow to cool.
• Preheat over to 350F
• Spoon 1/4 cup of the cheese mixture and 1/4 cup of the tomatoes onto each chicken breast.
• Top each chicken breast with 1 slice of mozzarella cheese.
• Bake for 20 minute, or until a thermometer inserted in the thickest portion of a breast registers 170F and juices run clear.

Makes 4 Servings

Nutrition Per Serving

340 calories, 15g fat, 5g saturated fat, 44g protein, 6g carbohydrate, 1g dietary fiber, 115mg cholesterol, 470mg sodium

Italian Marinade Steak and Vegetable Kabobs

I just have to share this recipe because it is one of my favorites and it's so good for you! It's getting really warm here in Arizona. It's Jan 26th and it's 80 degrees outside! That's what I love about living in Arizona...I get to enjoy warm weather and grill almost year round!!

So, yesterday I made steak and vegetable kabobs. This is my sister in law's recipe. It's really easy, but for best results you should let it marinate for at least an hour. If you let it marinate overnight, you'll get the best results! You can also use shrimp or chicken.

This recipe calls for a dry Italian Seasoning Mix. If you are Gluten Free, you need to make sure to read the labels. I know Wishbone's dry Italian Seasoning Mix is Gluten Free, but Kraft's version isn't...so read your labels!

Ok, so here it is!  I serve this with a side of brown rice and a salad.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 to 2 lbs of sirloin (or your favorite steak)
• 1 red pepper
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 yellow pepper
• 1 package of whole mushrooms
• 1 medium onion

Marinade:

• 1 package of dry Italian Seasoning Mix
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp of dry oregano
• 2 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice

Directions:

• Cut your steak into cubes
• Cut your peppers into cubes
• Cut your onion into wedges
• Take the steak and all vegetables and put them in a large mixing bowl.
• Take your Italian Seasoning Mix packet and put in a small Tupperware with a lid.  Add 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar, oregano and lemon juice to the dry seasoning mix and shake until well combined.
• Once well combined, pour the marinade into the bowl of vegetables and steak.  
• Mix well and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour (longer is better).
• After at least an hour, you are ready to make your kabobs.  
• Take the meat and vegetables and place onto you skewers.
• Grill the kabobs until the meat reaches the temperature you want (I like mine cooked medium, so the sirloin I cut is 1 1/4 inch thick and I grill the kabobs 10 minute each side.)

Once the kabobs are done, serve over rice with a side salad.

Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Pasta Salad

I have a tasty one for us today! This one is yummy and healthy! It is super high in protein and fiber and really low in calories. I'm helping a family member look for new recipes that are healthy...yet taste good and ran across this one. We tried it and really liked it!

It's really easy to make and can be made gluten free! Note - if you choose to use Whole Wheat pasta, it's a good source of dietary fiber.

You also don't have to use chicken. You can use tofu if you are looking for a vegetarian version! Chinese-style tofu, which is firmer than Japanese tofu, is the best choice for this recipe.

If you are going gluten free, make sure to use a gluten free pasta. If you are choosing to use tofu and no chicken, use extra-firm tofu and slice it lengthwise into 1/2 inch slices and pop them on the grill.

Try it out!  I found it in an old Pampered Chef book.  I'll also post the nutritional value below.

Ingredients:

• 1 package of chicken breast tenders OR if using tofu use 7 ounces of extra firm tofu
• 1 medium red bell pepper, cut lengthwise in half and seeded
• 1 large yellow squash, cut in half lengthwise
• 1/2 pound asparagus spears, trimmed
• 4 ounces of baby portobello mushrooms
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat balsamic dressing, divided
• 1/4 cup snipped fresh basil leaves
• 2 cups uncooked rotini 
• 1/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Directions:

• Prepare grill for direct cooking. Grill your chicken or tofu until done.
• Snip basil using a chopper or kitchen shears
• Meanwhile, cook your pasta according to package directions, drain and keep warm.
• Brush your vegetables with 1/4 cup of Balsamic dressing. Then take your vegetables and grill them in a grilling basket on the grill for about 10 minutes or until done.
• Take your chicken or tofu and chop it into bite size pieces.  
• Combine the pasta, fresh basil, vegetables and chicken or tofu into a large bowl.  
• Add the remaining Balsamic dressing and stir to combine.
• Grate Parmesan cheese over the pasta.
• Serve warm or at room temperature

Yield: 4 servings

Nutrients per serving:

Calories: 290

Total Fat 9g

Saturated Fat 3g

Cholesterol 5mg

Carbohydrates 35g

Protein 18g

Sodium 600mg

Fiber8g

Curry Chicken Breasts

I have a really good friend (Mrs. Heather) who is a FABULOUS cook!  I get the BEST recipes from her!  I was over at her house for a scrapbooking weekend several months ago and went through her recipe cards.  I stumbled upon this recipe and finally made it tonight.  Oh...and it was soooo good!  Why did I wait so long!!!  My kids devoured it and my husband got seconds!

You can make this one mild or hot.  I chose to make the mild version for us tonight since my kiddos don't like spicy food, but if you like curry and Indian food - you'll love this one.

I served this over a bed of Basmati rice and a side of steamed broccoli, but a salad would go really well with this one.

This one is Gluten free regardless if you make the mild version or the spicy version.  You just need to read your ingredients labels.  Franks RedHot Original sauce and Tabasco Brand Pepper Sauce is Gluten free (be careful - not all Tabasco products are Gluten Free).  As far as the Chili Sauce, Thai Kitchen Sweet Red Chili Sauce is Gluten Free.  Just make sure you read your labels. Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce is Gluten Free.

To make the mild version of this recipe, just leave out the hot pepper sauce and chili sauce.  If you like it hot - follow the recipe exactly as is below.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

4 Chicken Breast Halves
1/4 Cup Worcestershire Sauce
2 Teaspoons Curry Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Hot Pepper Sauce
1 Tablespoon Oil (I used Olive Oil)
4 Teaspoons Chili Sauce
1 Teaspoon Garlic Salt
1/4 Cup Chopped Onion

Directions:

Heat oil in a large skillet.  Brown chicken on both sides.  In a bowl, combine remaining ingredients.  Pour over chicken.  Add onion.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for about 20 minutes or until chicken juices run clear.  Serve with rice.

Baja-Style Soft Chicken Tacos

This one is a keeper!!  I'm telling you...it may sound silly, but I find some REALLY good recipes from my local grocery store!  Yep - this one came from my local grocery!


I made this for my husband for Father's Day and he loved it!  I made a whole spread of his favorite Mexican foods (see photo).  My kiddos loved it too and asked for seconds! This was so easy to make.  It's very light but keeps you full.  This one is gluten free - but make sure you use soft corn tortillas if you are gluten free.

This one took 20 minutes to make start to finish.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 lb rotisserie chicken pulled from bones, white and dark meat
1/2 cup of mild salsa (add up to a cup if you like more of a salsa taste)
6-8 (8-inch) corn tortillas, warmed
Lime wedges for serving

Cabbage and Cilantro Slaw
1 pkg shredded cabbage
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
3 Tbsp. Fresh Lime Juice
2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions:

To make the slaw, combine all Cabbage and Cilantro Slaw ingredients in a large bowl.  Set aside.
Combine chicken with salsa.  To assemble the tacos, top each tortilla with 2 to 3 tablespoons of chicken and a spoonful of cabbage slaw.  Serve with fresh lime wedges.  Refrigerate any leftovers.

Makes 6 to 8 tacos.

Roasted Chicken with Fresh Herbs

How horrible am I!  I have not posted in awhile!  Sorry for the delay but life happens and you get busy...

I have a friend who i used to work with (sweet Rachel!!) who shared this wonderful recipe with me and it is so yummy and good for you!  This is GLUTEN FREE and reminds me of those Sunday afternoons when my mom used to cook all afternoon and the house would smell so good!  But this wont take you all afternoon!

Below is the recipe and I used fresh herbs.  HERBS -  you can use ANY combo.  I used thyme and Rosemary but you can do a combo of fresh herbs and it will be fantastic!
Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 cut up roaster chicken
2 lemons, thickly sliced
5-6 cloves garlic, keep peels on and lightly smash so garlic is somewhat broken
2 medium onions, peeled and quartered
Fresh sprigs of herbs (see my comment above)
White wine
Salt and pepper
Olive oil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350
Place chicken pieces in glass roasting dish
Liberally salt and pepper the chicken. Place garlic cloves and onions in the pan on top of chicken
arrange lemons on top, cover with herbs (keep on stalks so you can remove after roasting)
Drizzle (lightly) with olive oil.

Roast for about 40 minutes. Pour about a cup of wine over the top and turn temp to 400. Continue roasting until chicken is brown and done. (About half hour more).

Below is a picture of the chicken before I cooked it and of course, after I cooked it :)

 

Chicken Spaghetti

 

It has been awhile since I posted!!  It's been busy with the holidays and all, but I'm still cooking and trying new recipes!!  One thing that my family does is participate in our church hospitality ministry and we make sack lunches for the homeless once a month.  We meet at a church member's home and have a dinner before we start preparing.  It's a GREAT ministry and I'll tell you - my kids are learning how to love and serve others!  This past Friday, the dinner menu was Chicken Spaghetti.  Now - this one isn't gluten free originally - but you can absolutely make this Gluten free or regular!  So try this below and let me know how much you love it!  My family sure did!  And this one freezes beautifully so you can eat it up later!

Gluten Free Ingredients:

2 cups Cooked Chicken

3 cups Dry Spaghetti (I recommend Quinoa), Broken Into Two Inch Pieces

2 cans Cream Of Mushroom Soup (Gluten Free)

2 cups Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese

1/4 cup Finely Diced Green Pepper

1/4 cup Finely Diced Onion

1 jar (4 Ounce) Diced Pimentos, Drained

2 cups Reserved Chicken Broth From Pot

1 teaspoon Lawry's Seasoned Salt

1/8 teaspoon (to 1/4 Teaspoon) Cayenne Pepper

Salt And Pepper, to taste

1 cup Additional Grated Sharp Cheddar CheeseFree Ingredients:

If you are NOT Gluten Free - Regular Ingredients Ingredients:

• 2 cups Cooked Chicken
• 3 cups Dry Spaghetti, Broken Into Two Inch Pieces
• 2 cans Cream Of Mushroom Soup
• 2 cups Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• 1/4 cup Finely Diced Green Pepper
• 1/4 cup Finely Diced Onion
• 1 jar (4 Ounce) Diced Pimentos, Drained
• 2 cups Reserved Chicken Broth From Pot
• 1 teaspoon Lawry's Seasoned Salt
• 1/8 teaspoon (to 1/4 Teaspoon) Cayenne Pepper
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• 1 cup Additional Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Cook 1 cut up 1 whole chicken and pick out the meat to make two cups of cooked chicken. Cook spaghetti in same chicken broth until nearly done but do not overcook. When spaghetti is cooked, combine with remaining ingredients except additional 1 cup sharp cheddar.

Place mixture in casserole pan and top with remaining sharp cheddar. Cover and freeze up to six months, cover and refrigerate up to two days, or bake immediately: 350 degrees for 45 minutes until bubbly. (If the cheese on top starts to get too cooked, cover with foil).

 

Cilantro Thai Grilled Chicken

So it's the week of Thanksgiving...so that means I'm going to eat REALLY bad on Thursday, and Friday, and Saturday and so on!  SO - I'm eating lean and healthy in the earlier part of the week!  And I'm a runner so I think I'll be increasing some intensity and distance this week too!

Tonight I made a really simple but DELICIOUS dinner!  I found this one on Pinterest and it was simply amazing!  This one is Gluten Free if you use Gluten Free Soy Sauce and takes about an hour to sit in the marinade but the time is so worth it!  I made my Roasted Vegetable dish with this and Italian potatoes (which I'll post that recipe tomorrow) and it was excellent.

One of the ingredients in this recipe is toasted sesame oil.  This product can be a bit pricey, but don't skip on this product.  Part of the reason certain recipes taste so good is because of good quality products.

Below is the recipe!  It got HUGE reviews at my house tonight!!

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

4 Chicken Breasts
1/2 Bunch fresh Cilantro
2 Garlic Cloves Chopped
1 Tablespoon of Gluten Free Soy Sauce
1 Tablespoon Toasted Sesame Oil

Directions:

Place all the ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth.  Pour the marinade over the chicken breasts and put in the fridge to marinate for 1 hour.  After an hour, the chicken is ready to grill.

Easy Peasy and oh so Yummy :)

Lemon Garlic Chicken

I have been in New York all week on business travel.  I had never been to New York before but I can tell you the food was just out of this world!  I ate at a lot of French cafes and had food with a lot of French flare and it was just amazing!! I got home yesterday, so I am just now getting an opportunity to post a new recipe! 

I found this recipe on Big Oven and it's full of flavor.  I had this chicken dish with a side of rice and balsamic Green beans with almonds (that recipes is here on my blog).  It left us full but not feeling heavy.  It is a very light dinner, full of flavor and very healthy! 

I use chicken thighs with this recipe but let me tell you up front - this one takes a little bit of time.  It's simple to make but you need to let the chicken marinate for 20 minutes and then the thighs need to cook for 45 minutes.  But it's well worth the wait.  Definitely serve this one with rice or even a side of mashed potatoes.  It's Gluten free (ensure you use a Gluten Free soy sauce) and dairy free! 

I hope ya'll enjoy!!

Ingredients:

10 to 12 Boneless and Skinless Chicken Thighs
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1/2 cup Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
1 tsp Oregano
1/2 tsp Pepper
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Salt
1/2 Cup Soy Sauce (Use a Gluten Free for those not eating Gluten)

Directions:

Soak the chicken pieces in salted water for 20 minutes (or just rinse if you're in a hurry), then pat the pieces dry and lay them in a baking dish.  They should be a bit crowded, touching each other.

Mix up the rest of the ingredients and pour over the chicken, then let stand for 20 minutes.  Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes.  Serve immediately.