Kale and Leek Soup

Ok, this recipe is not very attractive...I know, I know. But it's so stinkin tasty and so good for you!! This recipe came from my friend, Lindsey Pineda, and I'm SO glad she shared it with me (Thanks Lindsey)!!

This was fairly simple to make and guess what...my kids loved it! They looked at it and said, no way mom. But then I told them it had a chicken taste and they tried it. Then they both asked for a bowl!

This one is gluten free and FULL of nutrients! I also added some rotisserie chicken to my bowl to add a little protein. This soup is great for lunch paired with a salad or I also eat this as my afternoon snack.

Don't be turned off by the appearance. This one is DEFINITELY worth repeating!


Ingredients

    * 2 (200 g) large leeks, cleaned, sliced 1/4-inch-(.6 cm) thick
    * 2 teaspoons olive oil
    * 2 bunches fresh kale, chopped, stems removed
    * 6 cups (960 ml) vegetable or chicken broth (organic, no salt added)
    * Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions 

    1. Sauté leek in olive oil until soft. Add kale and cook until wilted.
    2. Add broth and cook for 30 minutes on low heat and let cool for 10-15 minutes or until temperature reaches 120°F (65°C).
    3. Place soup into blender or food processor.
    4. Turn machine on and slowly increase puree.
    5. Blend until smooth.
    6. Pour mixture back into pot and heat for 10 minutes, or just until it begins to simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

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! 

Grilled Green Beans

If you guys have a Facebook account, you have probably seen this recipe floating around out there. Everyone claims this recipe is super simple and tastes great, so of course I just had to try it!

And let me tell you, not only is it simple but it also has a really great taste! This has to be the one of the easiest and most convenient recipes for a side dish that I have posted. It's gluten free and you want to make sure you use fresh green beans! I used fresh lemon juice and Parmesan cheese too. This one is a keeper and a great side dish for summer meals!

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 8 oz green beans
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt (optional)
• pepper to taste
• Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Cut the ends off your fresh green beans and wash thoroughly.

2. Mix all ingredients except the Parmesan cheese in a large Ziploc bag. Let flavors marinate for 10 minutes or so.

3. Put on a grill over medium heat. Turn green beans frequently until crisp tender (about 10 minutes). (Use one of those special grill skillets or a cast iron skillet if you are worried about losing beans through the cracks. I used a grilling basket).

4. Remove beans from heat, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and you are ready to serve. Easy!