Potato Leek Soup

I try to make one soup a week during the cold winter months. It fills me up, but doesn't drain the pocketbook. I made this soup a few weeks ago and it satisfied my craving for something creamy. Creamy is hard to do when dairy is off the menu...

Potato Leek Soup


5 pounds Yukon gold potatoes
1 large leek halved, rinsed and sliced
8-10 oz veg or chicken stock
1/2 pound bacon
4-5 cups water
1 tsp peppercorns
3 tsp herbs de province
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Fry the bacon and remove from pan. Cook leeks in the bacon fat for aprox 5 min. (they will taste kind of like liptons onion soup mix). Peel and dice potatoes and put in crock pot. Pour stock, water, seasonings in crock pot. Put peppercorns in folded leek stem or cheese cloth and put in crock pot. Dice bacon and add to soup. Add leeks. Cook 6-8 hours on low. Remove 4-5 cups and puree in blender and and add back to soup. Make sure to remove the peppercorns.

Crock Pot Chicken

I love my crock pot. Especially on busy days. It makes me feel like I had a chef make my meal while I am out working. Today I made a crock pot chicken. I was able to purchase a few whole fryer chickens about a month ago for 99 cents a pound. The crock pot makes them quick and easy.

Crock Pot Mexican Chicken

1 whole thawed chicken
1 lime quartered
1 med red onion cut into 8 pieces

Spice Rub


1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1/8 to 1/4 cayenne

Optional
one can green enchilada
one small jar green salsa
on small jar of non chunky salsa

Stuff the chicken with as much onion and lime as possible. Rub down the chicken with the spice rub. Place the extra onion and lime around the chicken. Cover the chicken with one of the optional choices if desired. Cook the chicken on low for 8-10 hours.

The juices at the bottom of the pot can be made into a gravy too. Transfer the strained juices to a small sauce pot and bring to a boil. Mix together aprox 1 Tbs corn starch to 3-4 Tbs of hot water. With a whisk, pour cornstarch mixture into the juices and they will thicken into a non lumpy gravy.

The left overs can be shredded and put into chicken salad, soup, salad, burritos, etc...
Tonight I served the chicken with brown rice, corn and cranberry sauce.

Amish Slaw

This slaw is sweet and quick to make. It is good as a side dish or on a sandwich. As a time saver, I use one bag of shredded slaw with carrots, and red cabbage.

Amish Slaw

1 bag shredded cabbage or one med head cabbage shredded

1 onion finely chopped

1/2 cup white sugar

1 cup vinegar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp celery seed

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp yellow prepared mustard

3/4 cup vegetable oil

In a large bowl, toss cabbage, onion, sugar.

In as small sauce pan, combine the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil and cook 3 min.

Let the mixture fully cool off and then pour over the cabbage. Toss to coat. Refrigerate overnight for the best flavor. 

Chicken with Quinoa and Anellini

I just modified one of my favorite recipes from before I started eating gluten free. I changed out the grain with a mixture of quinoa and anellini.  The anellini pasta I used is from Schar. It is a small round pasta made from corn flour, rice flour and pea protein. This dish can be served warm as a main or side dish, but I prefer it cold like a summer salad.

Chicken with Quinoa and Anellini


1 cup chicken broth/stock
1/2 cup quinoa
3/4 cup anellini
1 large chicken breast cooked and cubed
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup diced radishes (red pepper or cherry tomatoes also work well)
1/2 cup cucumber chopped
1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley (or cilantro)
2 Tbs pine nuts

Dressing
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 1/2 Tbs olive oil
1 tbs ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 garlic clove crushed

Cook the quinoa in the chicken broth/stock. Boil the anellini per package instruction. Fluff the quinoa and anellini together. Add in the chicken, and veggies. In as separate bowl whisk the dressing together. Drizzle the dressing on the quinoa mixture to combine. Top with pine nuts just prior to serving.

Tilapia with Basil and Garlic

So I am trying to add a bit more fish into my diet, but always am a bit cautious since it is a bit hard to get "fresh" fish in the Midwest. Tonight I am going to have tilapia with basil and garlic. It is really simple and I will make a side of brown rice and baked apples.

Tilapia with Basil and Garlic


4 tilapia pieces rinsed and patted dry.
1-2 TBs olive oil
1-2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 lemon juiced
1-2 Tbs minced fresh basil (less if you used dried)

Turn oven to 375 deg F.  Place the tilapia in a foil lined dish. Drizzle with olive oil, top with garlic, lemon juice and basil. If using fresh basil, you can reserve some to top prior to serving.  Bake fish for aprox 30 min. If you prefer something a little more spicy add a little red pepper or back pepper. The basil can be changed out for parsley or other favorite herb.

Oatmeal Quinoa Brownie Bar

This bar was renamed by a friend as "GF Crack" Bar since it is really yummy. It is a modified recipe from another blog, but I no longer have the link. It reminds me of a cross between an oatmeal raisin cookie and a brownie. It could be easily changed with spices, chopped nuts or other dried fruit. I hope you like it.

Oatmeal Quinoa Brownie Bar

Dry

1/2 cup oat flour

1/2 cup quinoa flour

1/2 cup potato starch

1/2 cup sorghum flour

1 1/3 cup rolled oats

1 tsp Xanthan gum

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp allspice

3/4 tsp sea salt

1 1/4 cup brown sugar

Wet

3/4 cup olive oil or canola

2 Tbs black strap molasses

2 tsp vanilla extract

Combine all dry ingredients in large bowl. Then combine all wet ingredients in another bowl with a whisk. To keep the molasses from sticking, spray the whisk with nonstick spray. This can also be done to the measuring spoon. Mix the wet and dry ingredients.

Make egg replacer.  I used 1 TB Ener-G Egg Replacer with 4 TBs hot water. Add to other ingredients.

Now mix in the extras. 1/2 cup raisins and about 5 oz chocolate chips. I use the mini chips from "EnjoyLife" because they are dairy free (and soy free too). 

Grease a 11 x 13 glass dish. I used coconut spray. Pour mixture in dish and press till compact. Bake 20-25 min in oven at 350.

What is your favorite Gluten Free Recipe?

I would love to know your favorite GF recipe. Please share. I am always looking for new ideas.