Chicken and Veggie Noodle Stirfry

Very tasty, quick dish! 

Marinade:
1-1/2 c. chicken broth
2/3 c. low sodium soy sauce
4-5 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

1-1/2 TBS cornstarch
3 large chicken breasts, boneless/skinless, cut into thin strips/chunks

Olive oil
5-6 cups shredded cabbage
2 cups asparagus pieces or broccoli
2 cups celery slices
1 package maifun noodles, or 1 package broken spaghetti noodles  (use GF noodles if desired)

Combine marinade ingredients in a bowl.  Pour out 1-1/2 cups of marinade.  Add the cornstarch to that and whisk to blend.  Set that aside.  Put chicken into a ziploc bag and pour the remaining marinade on top.  Mix it around and put in the refrigerator to marinate for 30 minutes (or more.)

Meanwhile, cut up veggies.  Cook noodles.

Drain the chicken (throw away marinade) and stir fry it in a little oil for 5-7 minutes until cooked through.  Remove from pan.  Stir fry veggies 5-6 minutes until crisp tender.  Add the reserved cornstarch marinade to the veggies and stir till thickened.  Next add the noodles.  Stir, then add chicken.

Variation on Veggies: 
Julienned-sliced carrots
Chopped broccoli
Sliced onions
Bean sprouts
Snow peas

This recipe was adapted from a Taste of Home recipe.

Buttermilk Cornbread

This is really, really good... 

2 c. cornmeal
2 c. whole wheat pastry flour
4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt 
4 eggs
1-1/2 c buttermilk (or add 2 TBS vinegar to 1-1/2 c milk)
1/2 c. honey
1/2 c. oil (olive, coconut, melted butter, etc) 

Mix together dry ingredients in large bowl, and wet ingredients in a medium bowl.  Add wet ingredients to dry and stir till just combined.

Prepare a 15x10x1 jelly roll pan by pouring 2 TBS oil on bottom and spreading it around.  (You could use a 9x13 pan, but I don't like to wait that long.  Or make 24 muffins.)  Pour batter onto pan and spread until it covers the whole pan.

Bake at 350 degrees 12-15 minutes.

Some time I'll plan ahead and trying this in a soaked version to make it more digestible!  

Two Kinds of Coconut Fudge

This was my attempt to get more raw coconut oil into our diet.  Our hands are getting so dried out in the winter time, and when I take more coconut oil internally, I don't get the bleeding cracks.  My daughter's hands are red and raw so she's excited to try the candy cure.  Both are is delicious!  To keep ingredients raw, you've gotta soften the coconut oil and raw honey. 


In the summertime, my coconut oil is already soft.  But in the wintertime, you have to put the jar in a put of warm/hot water to soften it.  To soften raw honey, bring a pot of water to a boil.  Remove the pot from the heat.  Then put the honey in the pot and let it sit. 

 Choco Coconut Fudge 

1 c.  raw, unrefined, virgin, etc coconut oil, softened
1/2 c. cocoa powder
1/2 c. raw honey, softened  (or more, to taste.  Can also use agave)
1 c. almonds
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp sea salt 

Blend up soaked/dehydrated raw almonds  (best choice if you've got them) in the food processor until almonds were in very small pieces.   You can keep the almonds chunkier if you like. 
Mix together all the  ingredients.  Pour onto parchment paper in 8x8 pan and spread out.  Put in fridge.  When hardened, cut into squares.  Store in refrigerator.


Vanilla Maple Coconut Fudge

1 c. coconut oil
1/4 c. maple syrup (could do all maple syrup if desired)
1/4 c. honey
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp sea salt 

Mix ingredients.  Pour onto parchment paper and into 8x8 pan.  Refrigerate.  You may need to stir occasionally as it is hardening.  Once hardened, cut into squares and store in fridge. 

Honey Almond Granola Bars

Tasty, crispy granola bars.  Gluten free and they aren't even THAT crumbly.  Use the crumbles for granola in the morning. 

 

4 c rolled oats
2 c chopped almonds
1-1/2 c shredded, unsweetened coconut
1 c honey
5 TBS sucanat
4 TBS butter
1 TBS vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups crispy rice cereal

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix together oats and almonds.  Put on tin foil on a jelly roll pan (about 15" x 10" x 1")  Toast in oven for 8 minutes.  Now add coconut and stir.  Toast for about 8-10 more minutes until coconut is golden.  

During toasting, combine honey, sucanat and butter.  Melt over low heat.  Remove from heat and add vanilla and salt. 

When you take the oat mixture out of the oven, turn the heat down to 300. Pour oat mixture into a large bowl.  Add crispy rice and stir.  Slowly pour honey over the top and stir until all is combined. 

Grease the foil then pour granola mix onto jelly roll pan.  Lightly press down.  Bake at 300 for 15-20 minutes or until golden. 

Let cool for about 30-60 minutes, then slice into bars.

Strawberry Baked Oatmeal

This is a delicious baked oatmeal that everyone loves.  Except my husband who hates strawberries.  I still cannot figure out how anyone can not like strawberries...  You can substitute blueberries, but we all like it way better with strawberries. 

5 cups regular rolled oats
1 TBS baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups milk (can sub rice or almond milk)
4 large eggs1/4 c. melted butter
2/3 cup honey
1-2 tsp vanilla
2 cups chopped fresh or frozen strawberries


Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Combine all wet ingredients except strawberries in a medium bowl.  Add wet to dry and still till mixed.  Fold in strawberries.  Pour mixture in greased 9x13 pan. 

Bake 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes until golden brown and set in the middle. 

You can serve this with milk and/or butter on top, but it's delicious as is. 

Oatmeal Apple Bars

Tasty for a snack or breakfast.  And gluten free! 

3 c. rolled oats (not quick)
2-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 TBS cinnamon
6 TBS sweetener (honey, agave, or sucanat)

1 can coconut milk

2 eggs
1/2 c applesauce
1/4 c melted butter
2 tsp vanilla
1 apple, diced.

Mix all the dry ingredients in a medium bowl.  Mix all the wet ingredients in a small bowl.  Add the wet to the dry.  Stir in the apple dices.  Pour into greased 9x13 pan.  Bake 350 for 25-30 minutes. 

Honey Caramel Popcorn

It's harder than you think to find a sugar-free caramel corn recipe!  This is delicious and no one will miss the refined sugar.  

12 c. popped popcorn (6 TBS unpopped)
4 TBS butter
4 TBS honey
Dash sea salt

Pop your popcorn, using either an air popper or use 2 TBS coconut oil in a pot or old fashioned popcorn popper. In a small saucepan, heat butter and honey at medium high heat, just until completely melted. Add dash of sea salt and mix.

Pour honey butter over popcorn, stirring to coat all pieces.  Bake at 325 degrees for 8-10 minutes, stirring often.  Cool slightly on pan.  Store in airtight container.