Tropical Kale Salad

Salad:
1/2 cup pineapple, diced
4 large strawberries, sliced
1/4 ripe avocado, diced
1/2 cup chopped chicken (I used a Rotisserie chicken)
2 teaspoon unsweetened coconut shavings
1/4 cup pecan pieces
3 basil leaves, sliced
2 cups fresh kale leaves, shredded

Dressing:
the juice of 2 oranges
the juice of 1 lime
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1/4 cup fresh pineapple, chopped
2 tablespoons coconut milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
3 basil leaves, chopped

1. Mix all dressing ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Set aside.
2. Layer all salad ingredients on a plate. Top with dressing.

Adapted from: http://thehealthyfoodie.com/2012/05/02/kale-salad-with-a-tropical-twist/

Kale, Chicken, and Peach Salad

Salad
one cooked chicken breast, chopped (or the equivalent of one breast - I used a Rotisserie chicken)
2-3 cups of kale, finely shredded (leaves only)
1 green onion, finely chopped
1 small ripe peach, diced
2 T sliced almonds

Vinaigrette
1 small ripe peach, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1 teaspoon honey

1. Combine all dressing ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Set aside.
2. Place salad ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Add vinaigrette and toss to combine.

BBQ chicken salad

4 small chicken breasts, sliced
1/2 bottle Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce (or other GF BBQ sauce)
2 heads romaine lettuce, sliced into bite size pieces
1 small tub cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 can corn corn
1 can olives, sliced
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
three green onions, sliced thin
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
Ranch dressing

1. Put a thin layer of BBQ sauce in an 8x8 glass pan. Add chopped onion. Add chicken. Cover with an additional layer of BBQ sauce.
2. Bake chicken for 25 minute or until cooked through. Remove from oven to cool.
3. Layer lettuce, tomatoes, green onions, cilantro, corn, beans, and olives. Top with BBQ chicken and ranch dressing.

Easy Baked Fajitas

1 lb chicken, cut into strips (or your favorite meat)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can diced green chiles
1 medium onion, sliced
2 large bell peppers, seeded and sliced (I used one red and one green)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Combine vegetable oil with spices in large ziplock bag.
2. Add chicken, tomatoes, chiles, onion, and peppers. Mix to combine.
3. Place mixture in 9x13 glass pan and bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

This dish goes well with Spanish Rice.

This recipe is perfect to make ahead and freeze. Before you add any ingredients to the bag, use a Sharpee and write the baking directions. Then complete the recipe through step 2, and put the bag in the freezer. When you are ready to cook the fajitas, pull the bag out of the freezer, defrost, and bake.

Recipe originally found here: http://eatinonthecheap.com/2011/03/24/my-thoughts-on-food-magazines-and-baked-chicken-fajitas/

Grilled Corn and Black Bean Salad

4 ears fresh corn, shucked (or 2 cans corn, or one package frozen corn)
2 red peppers (chopped if using a grill pan, quartered if using a grill)
3 tbsp. EVOO
2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
3 green onions, rinsed and sliced
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
4 oz. queso fresco, crumbled
1 avocado, thinly sliced

1. In a large bowl, whisk EVOO, lime juice, chili powder and salt. Add green onions, cilantro and black beans and toss well.
2. Preheat grill (or if it's winter or you don't have a grill, a grill pan) to medium. Add corn and red pepper. Cook until corn and peppers until charred in spots, about ten minutes.
3. If using a grill, carefully cut the corn kernels from the cobs and chop the red pepper. Add corn and red pepper to the bean mixture and toss well.
4. Top with queso and avocado.

Variations: add 2 cups cooked quinoa or 2 cups cooked/cubed chicken breast

BBQ Chicken Quinoa Salad

3 cups cooked quinoa
1 can corn
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups cubed BBQ chicken
1/2 cup grated cheese
1/2 cup BBQ sauce (or more)
6 scallions, chopped
cilantro for garnish

1. In a large bowl, toss together the quinoa, corn, black beans, and chicken. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Transfer mixture into a bowl and top with shredded cheese, BBQ sauce, scallions and cilantro.

Serve warm or at room temperature or chilled.

California Quesadillas

corn tortillas
cheese
crumbled bacon
cubed turkey or chicken
sliced green onions
diced roasted red pepper
diced avocado

1. Put a thin layer of cheese on each tortilla. Top with desired toppings. Add another thin layer of cheese then top with 2nd tortilla.
2. Cook in frying pan until golden brown on each side and the cheese is melted.

Thai Red Curry

3 1/2 cups cooked rice
2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely grated
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 green or red pepper, diced
(or substitute other veggies if you prefer)
14 ounce can coconut milk
1 teaspoon Thai red curry paste
2 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
salt, to taste

1. Slice chicken into strips and saute with onion, garlic, and ginger in cooking oil. Remove from frying pan and set aside.
2. Saute veggies until tender.
3. Stir in coconut milk, curry paste, soy sauce, sugar, and salt. Add chicken and onion mixture and simmer 3-4 minutes.
4. Serve over cooked rice, or add rice to the Thai red curry until liquid is absorbed by rice.

Recipe from "Gluten Free Cooking Made Easy" by Susan Bell.

Lemon Basil Chicken

2 cups cooked, diced chicken (I used leftover Rotisserie chicken)
1/4 cup cooked crumbled bacon (or more... I believe in being generous with bacon)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup water
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tablespoon fresh minced basil
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons gluten-free chicken bouillon
1/8 cup lemon juice
1 bell pepper, chopped
salt, to taste
gluten free noodles
Parmesean cheese

1. In a measuring cup, combine water and cornstarch.
2. Saute red pepper with garlic and oil.
3. Add basil, cream, bouillon, lemon juice, and cornstarch mixture. Heat through but do not boil.
4. Add chicken, bacon, and salt.
5. Serve over noodles. Top with Parmesean.

Recipe adapted from "Gluten Free Cooking Made Easy" by Susan Bell.

Lime in the Coconut Chicken

3 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tablespoons chopped ginger
1 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts
1 cup cilantro
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/3 cup honey
1 cup coconut milk
1/3 cup lime juice
1 teaspoon lime zest
4 pounds chicken

1. In blender, combine all ingredients except chicken. Puree.
2. Marinate chicken in coconut mixture for one hour.
3. Transfer chicken to rack placed on foil-lined baking sheet. Back at 450 degrees for 20 minutes. Flip and bake until cooked through, 10 minutes.

Cheese and Green Chile Enchiladas

2 cups monterey jack cheese, shredded
2 cans (4 oz each) diced green chiles, drained
1 cup sour cream
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup cilantro leaves, chopped (plus more for garnish)
1 tsp ground cumin
2 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
12 corn tortillas

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, combine half of the cheese, canned chiles, sour cream, yellow onion, garlic, chopped cilantro, and cumin.
3. Microwave tortillas for 2 minutes, flipping stack after 1 minute.
4. Scoop a spoonful of mixture into each tortilla and roll up. Arrange the enchiladas in a single layer in a casserole dish. Cover with any remaining mixture. Top with the remaining cheese.
5. Back until golden, about 15-20 minutes.
6. Garnish with cilantro leaves.

Curried Coconut Chicken

3 T butter, melted
1 cup flaked coconut
2 t curry powder
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1/4 t salt
1 cup apricot preserves, warmed

1. Place butter in a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, combine the coconut and curry powder. Dip chicken in butter then coat with coconut mixture
2. Place in a greased 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle with salt. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Serve with preserves.

White Chicken Chili

1 T Extra virgin Olive Oil

1 lb boneless chicken, cubed (about 3-4 boneless, skinless breasts)
1 medium onion, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans Great Northern Beans
1 3.5 oz can green chilies
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t dried oregano leaves
1/2 t coriander
1/2 t salt
fresh cracked pepper
1 lime
1/2 C chopped cilantro

1 32oz box chicken broth

Condiments:
Sour cream
Chopped cilantro
Pepperjack or Jack cheese, shredded
Avocado
Tortilla Chips

1. In a large pot, heat olive oil. Add chopped onion and cook for about 2 minutes- just until it starts to become translucent. While onions are cooking, drain beans and rinse with cold water and set aside. Sprinkle chopped chicken with a little salt and pepper and add to pot. Add garlic as well. Cook until there’s no more visible pink on the chicken, probably 3-4 minutes.

2. Then add green chills- along with all of the juices in the can. Add beans, cumin, oregano, coriander, salt, and a few turns of fresh cracked pepper. Stir to combine and then add chicken broth.

3. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and add the juice from one lime and the 1/2 C chopped cilantro. Add salt and pepper to taste.

4. Ladle into bowls and top with sour cream. Serve with condiments.

Recipe from Our Best Bites: http://www.ourbestbites.com/2008/09/white-chicken-chili/

Chicken Gnocchi Soup

I've been dreaming about this soup for a long time. When I was in graduate school, my roommate Miriam and I made this imitation Olive Garden soup and it was absolutely delicious. When I went gluten free, I searched for gluten free gnocchi but I could never find it. I still can't, but I found a recipe for gluten free gnocchi and I knew I had to make it for this soup.

3-4 chicken breasts, boiled and cubed
2 c. half and half
2 c. chicken broth
1 stalk celery
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup carrot, grated
1 onion diced
1 c. spinach, chopped
1 t. thyme
salt and pepper to taste
16 ounces gnocchi
1 T cornstarch

1. Saute celery, onion, garlic, and carrot over medium heat.
2. Add chicken and chicken stock, half and half, salt and pepper, and thyme. Bring to a boil.
3. Add gnocchi. Simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Add spinach. Simmer for 1-2 minutes.

Coconut Curry Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts, (about 3), cut into 1-inch pieces
Salt and pepper for seasoning
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion (about 1/2 medium onion)
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 can (14-ounces) unsweetened light coconut milk
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper or more to taste
1 tablespoon brown sugar
½ tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (about 1 medium lime)
¼ cup fresh cilantro
3-4 cups hot, cooked rice for serving

1. Prepare the rice!
2. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat until it is hot and shimmering. Pat the chicken pieces dry with a paper towel and season them lightly with salt and pepper. Add them to the hot oil. Let the chicken cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the onions and red pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until the onions and peppers are slightly softened. The chicken and vegetables don’t have to be fully cooked as they will simmer and cook further in the next step.
3. Add the chicken broth, coconut milk, fish sauce, cayenne pepper, brown sugar and curry powder. Stir to combine. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook, gently, for 10-15 minutes. Stir in the lime juice and cilantro. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Serve a ladle or two of the soup over a scoop of rice and garnish with more cilantro, if desired.

Original recipe found at Mel's Kitchen Cafe: http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2011/01/coconut-curry-soup.html

Sweet and Sour Stir Fry Chicken

1 tablespoon cornstarch (or potato starch)
1/4 cup cold water
1 8 ounce can pineapple chunks, drained and juices reserved
3 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
3-4 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs diced into 1 inch pieces
(you could also use pork tenderloin, or sliced boneless pork chops)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
3 cups broccoli florets
1 medium bell pepper, stemmed , seeded, and cut into 1/2 inch squares
hot cooked white or brown rice
(you can really use any veggies you like: carrots, zucchini, onion, peas, etc.)

1. Start cooking your rice so it will be ready.
2. Combine cornstarch and water in a medium sized bowl and stir to dissolve. Add the reserved pineapple juice*, ketchup, soy sauce, brown sugar, and vinegar to the bowl and stir to combine.
3. heat 2-3 teaspoons of the oil in a wok or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, salt, pepper, garlic, and ginger. Stir-fry until the chicken is cooked and no longer pink, 3-4 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and cover to keep warm.
4. Add the remaining 1-2 teaspoons oil to the pan and add the broccoli and bell pepper. Stir-fry over medium-high heat until the vegetables are crisp-tender and the broccoli is bright green, 3-5 minutes.
5. Return the chicken to the pan and add the pineapple chunks and sauce mixture. Bring to a simmer and cook until everything is heated through and the sauce has thickened, 1-2 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve over the hot cooked rice. If desired, top with sesame seeds and chopped fresh cilantro or parsley.

This amazing dish is from Our Best Bites: http://www.ourbestbites.com/2011/10/sweet-and-sour-chicken-stir-fry/

Easy Noodle Stir-Fry

1 12-oz. package linguine (GF of course - I like quinoa but rice would probably work too)
2-3 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 bottle La Choy Orange Ginger Stir Fry Sauce
1 small red onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced or pressed
1 large or 2 small orange, red, and/or yellow bell peppers, seeded and sliced
1 cup fresh or frozen green sugar snap peas or snow peas
1 medium zucchini, julienned or chopped
Optional: Grilled chicken, shrimp, or steak, black sesame seeds, chopped cilantro, and lime wedges

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When it is boiling, add the noodles and cook al dente. When the noodles are done, drain them and toss in 2-3 teaspoons of olive oil.
2. While the noodles are cooking, heat a large skillet over high heat. When the oil is hot, add the sliced onions, garlic, and ginger. Stir fry 1-2 minutes or until fragrant, but the garlic isn’t burning. Add the peas (or beans or edamame) and stir fry for about 30 seconds. Add the zucchini and peppers and stir fry for another 30 seconds or until the veggies are crisp-tender. Add the noodles and stir to combine. Drizzle the sauce evenly over the noodles and stir fry the entire mixture for about 30-60 seconds or until everything is well-coated in the sauce. Serve immediately.

Recipe inspired by this recipe from Our Best Bites:
http://www.ourbestbites.com/2011/09/quick-easy-noodle-stir-fry/

Cowboy Quesadillas

1/2 C white rice
1/3 C black beans
1 cup diced cooked chicken
1/3 C fresh frozen corn kernels (no need to thaw)
2/3 C diced tomato
3 Tbs sliced green onion
1 1/2 C shredded cheese (any type or combo you like)
1/4 C bbq sauce
6 small tortillas (fajita size, about 6″)

Dipping Sauce
equal parts bbq sauce and ranch dressing

1. Combine rice, beans, chicken, corn, tomato, green onion and shredded cheese. Add bbq sauce and stir to combine. Place about 1/3 C of mixture on half of each tortilla and fold over to close (this is easier to do if you warm up the tortillas for a few seconds in the microwave first).
2. Heat a skillet to medium heat on the stove top. When hot, spray lightly with cooking spray, or drizzle with canola or olive oil. Place quesadillas in pan and cook for 2-4 minutes or until golden brown and slightly crisp. Flip and repeat on opposite side. Cool for a few minutes and then serve with BBQ-Ranch dipping sauce.

I think this recipe would also be fantastic as enchiladas, with a BBQ-ranch enchilada sauce.

Original recipe from Our Best Bites: http://www.ourbestbites.com/2010/10/cowboy-quesadillas/

Asain BBQ Chicken

From the amazing blog: Our Best Bites
Original recipe found here: http://www.ourbestbites.com/2011/05/asian=bbq-chicken/

1/4 C packed brown sugar
1/4 C soy sauce
2 T lime juice (about 1 lime)
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1/4 t curry powder
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 t grated fresh ginger
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1. Combine everything but the chicken in a small bowl. Whisk to dissolve brown sugar. Place marinade and chicken in a zip-lock bag. Pop that bag in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours, or longer if you have it (even overnight)
2. Preheat a grill (or an indoor grill pan or broiler). Spray cooking surface with cooking spray and place chicken on it to cook. Cook for 5-10 minutes on each side depending on the thickness. Optional: garnish with sliced green onions

Fajitas

1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbs apple cider vinegar
1 Tbs soy sauce
2 tsp. chili powder
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 dash cumin
4-5 drops of lime juice (more can be squeezed on the finished food, but this is just what goes in the sauce)
3 red and/or green bell peppers, sliced
1 onion, sliced
1 lbs of your meat of choice (steak and chicken are my favorites), cut and trimmed

1. Mix Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, chili powder, garlic, cumin, and lime juice together in an air-tight container. Add trimmed meat, seal and marinate for at least an hour.
2. Dump container out into a warm fry pan and saute until meat is partially cooked then add onion and peppers and cook until softened and meat is fully cooked.
3. Serve in corn tortillas (or flour tortillas if you aren't GF) with lettuce, tomatoes, beans, cheese, sour cream, and guacamole.

Original recipe found at: http://www.justamomha.com/pantry-gourmet/2009/12/fajita-sauce-for-chicken-beef-pork-shrimp-whatever/