Flying Iguana Guacamole

We went to the Flying Iguana restaurant where they prepped fresh guacamole tableside.  This is my re-creation / copycat recipe!  So good! 

1.5 TBS chopped cilantro
2 TBS chopped roma tomatoes
2 TBS chopped red onions
1 TBS chopped jalapeno 
2 Ripe avocados (stem pulls out easily)
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 lime, juiced  

Put chopped veggies in a bowl.   Add the smashed avocado.  Then sprinkle with salt & pepper and lime juice.  Mix with a fork till combined!  Use a rubber spatula to scoop out the mixture into a clean bowl for serving, or just dig in!  

Asian Sesame Noodle Salad

12 oz spaghetti, fettucinie or angel hair pasta (GF ok) 3 TBS sesame seeds  2 TBS Oil  1 TBS Sesame oil  ¼ C. soy sauce  ¼ c. rice vinegar 1 TBS sugar  ½ tsp cayenne  1 med red bell pepper, slivered ¾ c shredded carrots ¾ c sliced green onions  ½ c cilantro 1 cup snow peas, sliced in half  Salt  1 tsp red chili pepper flakes (optional) 

Boil noodles. While noodles are cooking, prep the rest.  Saute sesame seeds in oil in a pan 2-3 minutes until golden. Remove from heat and mix in soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and cayenne.  Rinse and drain noodles in cold water.  Pour onto noodles and mix well.  Add pepper, carrots and onions and toss.  Add salt to taste.  Can cover and chill up to a day ahead

Chia Seed Pudding

 Tasty treat and healthy too! 

VANILLA 

1 can coconut milk 
1/3 cup chia seeds 
2 TBS Maple syrup 
1 tsp vanilla 

Mix together in a quart size mason jar.  Stir and/or shake until well combined.  Refrigerate overnight. 


CHOCOLATE  

1 can coconut milk 
1/3 cup chia seeds 
2 TBS Cocoa powder 
3 TBS Maple syrup 
1 tsp vanilla 

Mix together in a quart size mason jar.  Stir and/or shake until well combined.  Refrigerate overnight. 

Fresh Salsa / Pico de Gallo

 Delicious with homegrown tomatoes, but store bought tomatoes in the winter will do... 

4 red tomatoes on the vine 
1/2 red onion 
1/4 cup chopped cilantro 
1/2 lime 
1/2 to 1 tsp salt (to taste) 

Slice tomatoes and onion.  You can then dice them with a knife, but having a chopper makes this SO easy!  Drain liquid from tomatoes.  Put in bowl and add chopped cilantro and salt.  Hand squeeze 1/2 lime into the mixture.  Stir and sample.  Add more lime or salt to taste.  

Real Nacho Cheese Sauce

 Nacho cheese sauce in the jar sure is tasty but who really knows what is in it? This is a real food version that is quite tasty.  

1 cup whipping cream 
1 TBS cornstarch 
1 cup grated monterey jack 
1 cup grated pepper jack 
1/4 tsp paprika 
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder 
1/4 tsp salt 

Pour a little bit of the whipping cream into a small cup.  Whisk in 1 TBS of cornstarch and set aside.  
Pour remaining cream into a pot and heat for 2-3 minutes.  Add cheese & spices to cream and whisk while continuing to heat.  Slowly pour the cornstarch/cream mixture into the cheese sauce, whisking the whole time.  Continue to stir until cheese sauce is thickened. 

Serve with tortilla chips.  

Crunchy Coleslaw

Fun for a potluck! Make this gluten free by omitting the ramen noodles.  

1/3 cup olive oil
2 tsp better than bouillon - beef
1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 head cabbage, shredded
1/4 cup sliced or slivered almonds
2 green onions, sliced
package of ramen noodles, crushed (optional for GF)

Blend together oil, bouillon and garlic salt.  Mix together cabbage, almonds, onions and then mix in dressing.  Add ramen noodles right before serving.

Favorite Flavorful Grilled Chicken

Grilled chicken is good.  But this marinated grilled chicken is really good! 

Marinade:
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
3 TBS dijon mustard
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lemon, juice
1/3 cup sucanat
1-1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil

Whisk together marinade.  Pour on 9-12 boneless skinless chicken breasts.  Let marinade at least 1/2 hour.  Grill chicken.  This has such a great flavor!

Adapted from:  http://www.food.com/recipe/amazing-chicken-marinade-29598

O' Henry Bars

Update of an oldie but a goody.  Simple, tasty, and healthier than a lot of other dessert options.  Plus it's easy to make this gluten free by using GF oats.  

4 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup sucanat (or brown sugar)
2/3 cup melted butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup agave
2 cups chocolate chips
1-1/2 cup peanut butter

In a large bowl, mix together oats, sucanat, butter, vanilla and agave.  Line a jelly-roll pan (10x15) with parchment paper.  Press the oat mixture into the pan.  Bake at 350 degrees about 12 minute (until slightly golden.)  Meanwhile, melt chocolate chips and peanut butter in a double boiler.  Remove oat crust, spread the chocolate peanut butter frosting on top.  Let cool a bit and then you'll want to put it in the freezer so you can eat them sooner.  Cut into bars.

If you opt to bake these in a 9x13 pan, increase cook time to about 15 minutes, and you can possibly half the amount for frosting.

If you don't have parchment paper, I highly suggest you get some.  Otherwise you'll have to thickly grease your pan with butter.  And the bars still might stick.

Yummy Chicken Curry

This recipe is yum and super easy! 

4 TBS butter
1/2 onion or small onion, blended
2 TBS curry powder (or less if you don't want it as spicy)
1/2 cup cornstarch
2 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp ground ginger
3 cups chicken broth
3 cups coconut milk (two cans)
4 cups cooked chicken
1 tsp lemon juice
cooked rice

Melt butter in pan.  Saute onion and curry powder for a few minutes until onion is translucent and curry powder aromatic.  Mix together cornstarch, salt, sugar and ginger in a small bowl.  Whisk into onion mixture until smooth as you can get it.  Whisk in chicken broth and coconut milk.  Bring to a boil, whisking often.  Boil until thickened.  Add chicken and lemon juice, and heat to warm.  Serve over rice.

Can top with almonds or peanuts, sliced green onions, sauteed stirfry veggies and/or onions, pineapple, coconut, etc.

Crockpot Honey Sesame Chicken

So simple, so tasty.  

3 lbs boneless/skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs 
1 c honey 
1/2 cup soy sauce (or bragg's liquid aminos for GF or GF soy sauce) 
1/2 blended onion
1/4 c ketchup 
2 TBS Olive oil 
1 tsp garlic powder 
3 TBS cornstarch
6 TBS water 
Sesame Seeds 

Put chicken in the crockpot.  Combine honey, soy sauce, onion, ketchup, oil and garlic powder.  Pour over top of chicken.  Cook low 3-4 hours, or high 1.5-2.5 hours.  Take chicken out and shred or cut into bite size pieces (your preference).  Strain sauce if needed and put back into crockpot.  Mix cornstarch in water (I put it in a jar and shake it.)  Whisk cornstarch into sauce.  Put lid back on and simmer 10-15 more minutes until thickened.  Add chicken back to sauce when you want.  Serve over rice, sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.  

Quick Toasted Coconut Granola

You probably don't have too many granola emergencies, but there are times when you want it faster than two hours, and this is quick and easy.  

6 C. rolled oats (use GF oats if you want gluten free)
1 c. coconut
3/4 c. chopped or sliced almonds
1 TBS cinnamon
3/4 c. honey
3/8 c. coconut oil

Combine first 4 dry ingredients in a bowl.  In a large (family-size) electric skillet, melt honey and oil at about 350 degrees (med heat). Add dry to the honey/oil mixture and stir to coat.  Stir often to prevent burning for about 12 minutes.  Cool and it will get crunchy.

If you don't have a large electric skillet, you can half the recipe and do it in a smaller electric skillet or in a large frying pan.
 

Baked Potato Soup

This is one of my husband's favorites.  I've adapted the recipe to be gluten free and dairy free for my allergic kids and it's still just as tasty as the original dairy-laden version.   

1/2 lb bacon (or so)
2/3 c. butter*
2/3 c. flour or cornstarch for gluten free
2 TBS better than bouillon + 6 c. of water (or 6 c. chicken broth/stock)
1/2 onion, blended
9 small or 4 large baked potatoes
5 green onions, chopped
1-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese*
1 c. sour cream*
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
Black pepper to taste

If your potatoes aren't baked yet, you can scrub them, poke them with a fork and cook in the microwave.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet (use one with edges!  Like the 15x10x1" tray) with tin foil.  Lay the bacon out on the tin foil.  Bake for 15-20 minutes or until crispy how you like it.

In a large pot, melt the butter.  (You can also use bacon grease or any combination of butter/grease.) Add 1/2 blended onion to the butter and saute 3-4 minutes until translucent.  (Blend the onion in a blender by adding a little water.)  Mix in the 2 TBS of better than bouillon (if using) with the butter/onion mix.  Then add the flour or cornstarch and mix to make a paste.  Add water or chicken stock.  Bring to a boil and let thicken on med. heat.

Peel the potatoes and mash slightly, depending on how chunky you like the soup.  Add potatoes and season to taste.

Set out the following for toppings:
Green onions
Cheddar cheese
Sour cream
Crumbled bacon

*This soup tastes fabulous even without the dairy toppings.  Also, most people who are allergic to dairy can still eat butter, but if not, substitute bacon grease or another dairy-free alternative.   Sour cream and cheese can also sometimes be tolerated by lactose-intolerant people like my 3 year old who doesn't do well with straight milk/ice cream.

Super Simple Coleslaw

Super tasty with shredded pork! 

1/4 head cabbage, shredded
2 carrots, peeled and shredded
1/2 c mayo
3 TBS apple cider vinegar
1-1/2 TBS sugar or evaporated cane juice.
1 T minced onion (optional)
Salt/Pepper

Shred cabbage and carrot, put in bowl big enough to toss.  Mix mayo, vinegar, sugar and onion to make dressing.  Add to cabbage mix and toss.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Three Bean Salad

My daughter and I were lucky to hear one of the ladies from www.wholefoodmommies.com speak and they shared this recipe with us.  We loved it, and my daughter didn't even think she liked beans.  I have adapted it a bit for our tastes.

1 can red beans, drained & rinsed
1 can pinto beans, drained & rinsed
1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 c. frozen corn  (thawed, or add frozen and wait to eat it) (optional, buy organic for non-gmo.)
1/2 red onion, chopped
5 green onions, chopped
1/8 c cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup Italian dressing
1-2 T lime juice
1 clove garlic, minced

Combine it all and eat.  Chill in fridge before eating for better flavors.

Chocolate Strawberry shake

Toss this in your blendtec and enjoy!  Kind of funny because the littles (4 &2) didn't really like this, but everyone else thought it was fantastic.  

5 c. frozen strawberries (approx)
4T cocoa powder
1 can coconut milk
approx 1/3-1/2 sweetener (can use honey, agave, etc.  I like to do part coconut sugar with a little stevia.)
2 c. water (or so, depends on how thick you want it)

Blend.  Drink.

Kale Chips the Lazy Way

Yeah, kale chips are are actually really tasty.  They smell disgusting while cooking, but they taste terrific and are quite addicting.  All the kids like them (or at least those that have tried them.)  I found my four year old walking upstairs with a handful of them - after I'd put him to bed!  My 10 year old had been begging me to make them but I'd dreaded it because the recipe I had used previously was a bit work-intensive.  This is the simple way to make them.  

1 bunch kale
olive oil, sprayer or liquid
sea salt
1/8 cup shredded parmesan (optional)

Preheat oven to 375.  Wash and thoroughly dry the kale.  Prep a cookie sheet by lining it with parchment paper (or tin foil.)   Rip the kale from the thick stem into 2" pieces (or so, obviously this won't come out perfect, but as you rip it from the thick stem, you'll see what I mean. Put those pieces on the cookie sheet. When done ripping, spread out the kale evenly.  Spray with olive oil or drizzle thin stream of olive oil onto the kale, then sprinkle with salt.  Toss with your hands and spread out evenly again.  Repeat 1 or 2 more times until it is to your liking.  The last time, sprinkle parmesan and toss.  Don't worry if some of the parmesan falls to the bottom of the pan, it'll still stick to the kale.

Bake for 10 minutes, then keep checking it every minute until kale is crispy, but not brown and burnt!  Every oven is different, so this is the hardest part about it.

Store in a bowl or plastic bag, but it might all get eaten first.

GF / Grain free - Almond crackers or pizza crust

I was surprised at how tasty this was. It sounds kind of disgusting, but it was delicious.  I first made it!  They look prettier if you use blanched almond flour.  

2 cups almond flour
1/4 c. nutritional yeast (optional, but great flavor)
1 T baking powder
1 tsp sea salt

2 eggs 

1 T olive oil

Mix almond flour, yeast, baking powder and sea salt  in a small bowl.  Add in eggs & olive oil.  Mix until dough forms.
Roll dough between two pieces of parchment paper to be 1/8" thick.  Bake 400 degrees for 10-20 minutes (depends on thickness, so check often!)

Make mini pizzas by rolling 1-1/2" balls of dough.  Cook 8 minutes, then put toppings on and bake an additional 7-12 minutes until cheese is melted.

Homemade Gatorade

Soccer season is upon us.  I find it awfully ironic that we are encouraging our kids to get good exercise and then they get junk food for snacks.  I wanted to get a good gatorade sub that my kids would be happy to give up the junky kind for!   

1 qt water
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp CALM powder (optional, provides calcium/magnesium minerals)
1-1/2 c. Grape juice (or other flavor)
1-2T sweetener (agave, honey or equiv amount stevia)

Mix it up and drink it!

Option:  I've used the juice drained from juice-sweetened canned fruit too.

Tamale Pie

Fast, quick & super easy. Tastes surprisingly a lot like tamales.

3-4 cups crushed chips (great for bottom of the bag chips)
1 can corn
4-5 cups chili
2 c. shredded cheddar

Preheat oven to 350degrees. Crunch up all the chips and put on bottom of 13x9 pan. Open can of corn and dump over chips without draining first. Stir it all up to mix. Next spread the chili over the top. Put in oven and bake about 20 min. Remove, add cheese, return to oven for another 5-10 minutes till it melts.

The chips & corn create a tamale-like crust. Serve this with sour cream, salsa, shredded lettuce, etc.

Orange Julius

Our "healthier" alternative for holiday breakfasts like Easter & Christmas. I make two batches in my blendtec, since doubling the recipe won't fit in the blender.

3/4 c. Orange Juice concentrate
1 C. Milk
1 C. water
1/4 C. less about 1 TBS Agave (1/2 of 1/3 a cup is what I used.)
1 tsp vanilla
1 c. ice cubes (about 10-12)

Toss it all in the blender and blend till smooth.