Chicken soup - perfect to warm you during the winter months!

Chicken soup is the perfect winter weather food.  It also seems to cure all sorts of cold symptoms.  I left out noodles to keep this gluten free but feel free to add noodles, rice, quinoa or any other grain you desire.  This also freezes well and I usually keep a few single servings in my freezer for those days when I'm not feeling 100%.  As with any recipe, this is just a suggestion. Try to use as many organic ingredients as possible but especially the chicken, broth and greens (kale or spinach if used) Feel free to add or subtract ingredients and share what you ENJOY!

Ingredients:
2-3 pounds of organic chicken breasts, blanched and cut into small pieces
1 T organic extra virgin olive oil
2-10 cloves of garlic, sliced
large organic onion, chopped
8oz package of organic baby bella mushrooms, sliced
small bag of organic baby carrots, cut into thirds
dash cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)
1 t dried organic oregano
1 t dried dill
 (and any other herbs you'd like)
can of organic canallini/white beans, rinsed and drained (I often use 2-3 cans)
1 bag frozen organic peas (I often add frozen organic kale or spinach as well)
2 T
dried seaweed wakeme (helps the body digest beans and adds much needed iodine and other trace minerals)
6 cups organic chicken broth (this is for 3 pounds of chicken and stew like/thicker consistency - use less for 2 pounds of chicken or more for a soup like consistency)

1) Boil a large pot of salted water (enough to fully cover chicken breasts).  Once the water is rapidly boiling, add chicken breasts and cook until chicken breasts float in the water (approximately 5-10 minutes depending on size)
2) Heat oil in large pot over medium heat.  Cut up vegetables and add onion to warm oil. Allow to cook for a few minutes until translucent.  Add sliced garlic and cook for a few minutes.  Add in the broth, mushrooms, carrots and herbs.  Bring mixture to a boil.  Reduce and simmer for a few minutes or until the carrots are tender.
3) Add chicken, beans, and peas.  Bring to a boil and serve hot.
4) ENJOY!

Yummy crock pot chili - perfect GF winter meal

Crock pot chili

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 lb organic lean ground beef
1 organic onion, chopped small
5 garlic cloves, chopped (I used 20-30, didn't count)
1 can organic cannellini beans or white beans, rinsed and drained
1 can organic kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 can organic black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cans diced organic diced tomatoes
1 bag of organic baby carrots, chopped in thirds
1 package of mushrooms, chopped
1/2 cup organic beef broth or red wine
2 Tablespoons dried pacific wakame (seaweed, aids in digestion of beans, no worries if you don't have it)
1 Tablespoon organic oregano
1 Tablespoon dark chili powder
dash cayenne pepper
1 cup organic brown or basmati rice, cooked per package directions

Heat olive oil in metal crock pot liner or sauté pan.  Brown ground beef over medium heat.  Add onions and garlic, cook until onions are translucent.  Add carrots, broth or wine.  Place liner into crock pot or pour ingredients into crock pot and turn on high for 6 hours.  Rinse all the beans and add along with the rest of the ingredients, except for the rice, to the crock pot.  Cook the rice according to package instructions just before serving the meal.  ENJOY!!!!

Quinoa Salad with Roasted Vegetables - GF, easy and yummy!!

Quinoa Salad with Roasted Vegetables
Serves 3
Great to make in advance!

1 cup quinoa (be sure to rinse until water runs clear prior to cooking)
2 cups water or organic chicken stock
2 small zucchinis, chopped
2 small yellow/summer squash, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
sea salt to taste
juice of one lemon

Preheat oven to 400F.  Toss chopped vegetables in olive oil.  Roast chopped vegetables on flat roasting pan or cookie sheet until tender about 20 minutes, less if you prefer them crunchy and more time if you prefer them softer.  Bring quinoa and water or chicken stock to a boil in a medium pot then reduce to simmer and let cook for 10-12 minutes or until water is absorbed and quinoa is fluffy.  Toss everything together in a large serving dish.  Serve warm or at room temperature with fresh lemon juice and sea salt to taste. Enjoy!!

**This dish would also be delicious of you added some grilled chicken breasts**

Shepard's pie without the Shepard

A new version of Farmer's pie, so perfect for a cool evening and it hits the spot - I just had three bowls!  Super tasty and very healthy.  It is a vegan alternative to Shepard's pie.  It may seem like a lot of ingredients but use whatever you have available and substitute as you like, that makes it more fun!  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
4 large organic potatoes, peeled and cut into large pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, chopped (I like a lot of garlic, I actually used about 20 cloves)
2 carrots, chopped (I used one cup of organic baby carrots)
1 onion, chopped
3 cups of organic vegetable or mushroom broth
2 cups of portobello mushrooms, chopped
1 1/2 cup of frozen organic peas
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon rosemary (I added more as I had some fresh available that needed to be used up)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional (use less if you like less spice)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons low-sodium, organic, gluten free tamari (or soy sauce, eliminate if you have a soy allergy)
1 teaspoon gaur gum (it's a very effective gluten free thickener with 8 times the thickening ability of cornstarch, you may use 2 tablespoons of corn starch) mixed with 1/3 cup of cold water
paprika

Method:
In a large pot or Dutch oven boil potatoes until tender.  Drain and use the same pot for the next portion, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Sauté the garlic, onion, and mushrooms for a few minutes. Add 1/4 cup of broth and cook for about 5-10 minutes until the vegetables are softened.  Add the peas, oregano, rosemary, cayenne and pepper and stir.  Add the remaining broth, tamari, and thickener and stir.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer until all the vegetables are soft and the sauce is thickened.  (The recipe says to pour into a 9 inch pie dish but I kept it in the Dutch oven)

Mash the potatoes (I added a little coconut milk that I had left over) and spread them out on top of the vegetable mixture (this was the most difficult part as the potatoes want to clump together and not spread well).  Broil for a few minutes until the potato crust is golden brown and sprinkle with paprika (I added some additional cayenne as well).  Serve immediately!  And ENJOY!!

Writing this makes me want to have a fourth bowl!!

Whole Foods Deals 12/1 - onions & potatoes

I found the following deals/steals at Whole Foods on 12/1.  3 pounds of organic red onions for $3.99 and 5 pounds of organic red potatoes for $5.49 :-)  ENJOY!!