1 – Breaded anything

Typically breaded items are a challenge because of the breading and the ingredients used to make the breading stick.  Here are some alterations you can use to make your favorite breaded item safe.

• Breading – Breadcrumbs contain gluten.  To make them safe, you can use quinoa flakes in place of the gluten or buy gluten free bread, toast it, and make your own breadcrumbs.
• Egg wash – Eggs are one of the top 8 allergens.  Use coconut milk in place of egg wash.
• Flour – Use coconut flour, almond flour, or other gluten-free flour in place of regular flour.

2 – Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Dairy is one of the top allergens.  Many mashed potato recipes call for butter, cheese, and milk or heavy cream.  Substitute coconut milk in place of dairy to make the dish creamy without the lactose!

3 – Marinaded Meats

Marinades often contain wheat (gluten), dairy, soy, MSG and other items people need or choose to avoid.  Watch out for pre-marinaded or pre-seasoned meats and fish.  Either make your own or be sure to carefully read the ingredients on the marinade bottles.

4 – Ham

Avoid buying a pre-glazed ham and do your own glazing.  This will allow you to control the ingredients and make your ham safer for everyone on your guest list.

5 – Soup

If you are making a soup without animal protein, then be sure to use a veggie stock so your soup can be enjoyed by vegetarian guests.  Also, soup bouillon often contains wheat (gluten), soy, preservatives, and MSG, so be sure to read the label before using.

6 – Gravy and Sauce

Many people use flour or corn starch to thicken sauces and gravy, which can cause challenges for people with food sensitivities.  Substitute gluten-free flour to thicken or skip the thickening step altogether.

7 – Stuffing

Use gluten-free bread (read ingredients for egg, soy, nuts, or other allergen) and veggie stock to make this traditional dish safe for vegetarians and those with aversion to gluten.  And, of course, don’t stuff your bird with it.

8 – Cooking Spray

Cooking sprays often contain soy, gluten, or other allergen.  Make your own cooking spray with a spray bottle and olive oil.  Or grease the pan with coconut oil.  (Don’t use coconut oil in the spray bottle because it will become solid at room temperature.)

9 – Sweetened Foods and Desserts

All around sugar just isn’t a good choice for many reasons and chemical sugar substitutes cause their own problems.  Try substituting coconut crystals (a low GI food), honey, or stevia (a natural plant sugar) in place of sugar cane or high fructose corn syrup.

10 – Chocolate Foods

Chocolate is dangerous for many food allergy sufferers because of dairy, soy, and favor enhancers.  Even dark chocolate often contains milk and soy.  So, be sure to read the label.  Opt for chocolate that is pure and contains at least 65% cacao and has no dairy or soy.

Cooking for the food restricted doesn’t have to be difficult.  You just need to make some minor alterations and you can open up your menu to everyone on your guest list!  Happy holidays!

Veggies and some other tweeks make this classic dish full of flavor, but low on guilt!

For the past two nights, I craved Mac & Cheese.  Seriously, I was obsessing about it.  So, to avoid doing something really terrible like buying a prepackaged commercial brand of the stuff and regretting it the second I swallowed the last bite, I had to take on the project myself.

Mac & Cheese  has to be one of my all time favorite dishes.  Though, I’ve nearly given up the dish as the good ones are loaded with saturated fat and calories that just don’t seem worth it.  Well, until now.  Last night, I took on this classic dish and spruced it up with enough healthy ingredients, that I didn’t regret eating one single bite.  (Did I mention that I had seconds?)

Of course, I also wanted to make sure that I didn’t destroy the great taste and comfort of the dish which has made it a classic at dinner tables and parties for so many years.  I’m all about making dishes healthy (or healthier) but if they don’t taste good than WHAT’S THE POINT?

Click below for the recipe for this made-over classic with a bunch of veggies, lots of color, and a lot less guilt.

Mac & Cheese with Veggies (and Less Guilt)

INGREDIENTS:

• box (12 oz) of elbow pasta (multigrain when possible)
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped fine
• 3-4 cloves of garlic, chopped fine
• 1/2 head of cauliflower, chopped into tiny pieces
• 2 zucchinis, shredded
• 2 carrots, shredded
• 3-4 handfuls of fresh spinach, chopped
• 6 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (NOTE: using extra sharp cheddar allows you to use less cheese, but keep the flavor)
• 8 oz reduced fat sour cream
• 1/2 c soy or almond milk (or fat free cows milk)
• 1T stone ground mustard
• 4-5 slices of multigrain bread
• 1/2 c flat leaf parsley, chopped
• olive oil
• salt & pepper

You may also add or substitute with:

• broccoli, chopped into tiny pieces
• red bell pepper, chopped fine
• eggplant, chopped fine or shredded
• (someone suggested peas, which I find appalling, but if they make you happy, then go for it.)

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Cook pasta according to instructions on box and drain.
• Saute garlic and onion in olive oil for 3-5 mins.  Add salt, pepper, cauliflower, carrots, and zucchini and saute another 3 minutes.  Add spinach to top of sauteed veggies, cover, and remove from heat.  (Spinach will wilt from remaining heat.)
• In food processor, pulse torn bread with parsley, salt, and pepper until crumbled.
• In extra large mixing bowl, while pasta is still hot, mix with shredded cheese.  Add sour cream, mustard, salt and pepper and mix.  Add in milk.  Mix in sauteed veggies.  Taste to see if additional salt or pepper is needed.
• Spread cheesy pasta mixture into large, shallow casserole dish and top with bread crumbs.
• Bake 12-15 minutes until breadcrumbs are toasted.
• DIG IN!  DON’T BE SHY!

Fantastic Eggplant Parmesan that will have you begging for more!

When Eggplant Parmesan is made well, it’s fantastic.  Sadly, the good ones are few and far between.  Even reputable restaurants serve soggy or mushy eggplant dishes.

Why bother with eggplant?

Eggplant is a wonderful source of dietary fiber, potassium, manganese, copper and thiamin (vitamin B1). It is also a good source of vitamin B6, folate, magnesium and niacin. Eggplant also contains phytonutrients such as nasunin and chlorogenic acid.  It’s great in protecting against free radicals and helps boost brain power and lower cholesterol.

Now that you know why you want to eat eggplant, here’s how you make it taste great without being mushy.

Non-mushy Eggplant Parmesan reqires the following three items:

1. Right Thickness
2. Sweating Step
3. Baking and Not Frying

What you need:

• An eggplant free from blemishes and cuts.
• 1/2 cup of unbleached white flour
• 1-2 eggs
• 1 cup of GF breadcrumbs (with Italian seasonings)
• 16 oz of your favorite tomato sauce.  (About one jar.)
• Shredded Italian Cheese or cheese alternative
• 2-3 handfuls of fresh spinach, chopped
• Cookie sheet and wire cooking rack.
• Casserole dish.

Instructions:

RIGHT THICKNESS:

First, cut the eggplant into thin slices no more than 1/4 inch thick.  The thicker the slice, the more likely your dinner will have the consistency of slop.  Of course, cutting slices too thin can cause it’s own problems, so don’t go crazy.

SWEATING STEP:

Next you need to “sweat” the slices.  Lay the slices flat onto paper towels and sprinkle each slice.  Cover the slices with another paper towel.  Let the slices sit for about an hour.  This will help draw out much of the immediate moisture in the vegetable, which is culprit in soggy dishes.

NOTE: If you can’t wait an hour to sweat the eggplant, you can put the slices into the oven at 275 degrees for about 7-8 minutes.  The challenge with this method is that is depletes the eggplant of much of its amazing nutrients.

BAKING (NOT FRYING):

Frying the eggplant sounds like a great idea, but it generally just makes the eggplant greasy, which will make the eggplant soggy once it sits for a few minutes.  Plus, there’s no reason for the added fat.

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Pat the slices dry and pat off excess salt.
3. Coat slice with flour, tapping off excess flour.
4. Dip the floured slice into an egg wash (egg whisked with a tablespoon of water) coating both sides.
5. Coat slice with breadcrumbs on both sides.  (Use Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, or add Italian seasonings to plain breadcrumbs.)
6. Place slice onto a cooking rack that sits on a cookie sheet.  (The rack is crucial to baking the slices evenly on both sides and further eliminating the sogginess problem.  If you put the slices directly on a cookie sheet, moisture seeps out making the bottom of the slice wet.)
7. Bake breaded slices for about 10 minutes.  To crisp slices, put slices under broiler for about one minute to brown.  Do not over do-it here.  You don’t want your whole dish to taste burned.
8. Layer slices in rows in a casserole dish overlapping each slice about 1/2 – 3/4 of the slice with the next, but without covering each slice completely.
9. Cover with chopped spinach.
10. Spoon a thick stream of tomato sauce over center of each eggplant row without covering the slices completely with sauce.   Sprinkle a mixture of shredded Italian cheeses (mozzarella, Romano, parmesan, provolone) over dish.
11. Pop dish into oven and bake for 10 minutes at 325 degrees.

Serve with a side of additional tomato sauce, a fresh salad, whole wheat pasta, and/or garlic bread.

NOTE:  If you want crunchy eggplant, bake the breaded slices for 15-20 minutes and omit casserole dish step.   Place several eggplant slices on each plate and top with heated tomato sauce.  Sprinkle with cheese and serve immediately.

Save time by skipping one or more steps while making your dish heathier!

To save time and increase the healthiness of your next baked ziti or lasagna, skip cooking the noodles and add veggies that hold a lot of water which will absorb into the dry pasta and will capture crucial healthy vitamins.

• Cover the bottom of a baking or casserole dish with about 1/4 c of tomato sauce.
• Add about 3/4 box dry ziti or corkscrew pasta
• Add a layer of fresh or frozen sliced zucchini, a layer of fresh or frozen spinach, and a layer of sliced squash or carrots.
• Add a thin layer of low fat ricotta cheese.
• Pour 1-1/2 jars to 2 jars of pasta sauce on top, and gently shake the casserole dish to help the sauce settle into the open gaps.
• Add about 1/4 c of veggie bouillon to the top and gently shake again. (Add any remaining tomato sauce if you have room.)
• Cover dish and bake at about 350 for 45 mins to an hour.
• Add mozzarella on top in the last 5 minutes of cooking.

* NOTE: Make this dish gluten free by using brown rice pasta, artichoke pasta, or other gluten free noodles.

*NOTE: If you like to add meat to your baked ziti, add a layer of pre-cooked ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground beef on top of the veggies and under the ricotta cheese layer.

*NOTE: If you choose to use frozen veggies, don’t worry about thawing them (another time saving step) layer them into the baking dish right from the freezer.

In addition to saving time you would have spent pre-cooking the pasta, the pasta will absorb all the liquid from the veggies, capturing the vitamins usually lost when cooking and draining these veggies of their excess liquid.  It’s a double bonus!

• 4 pork medallions at least ¾ in thick
• 2 med Granny Smith apples, sliced and cored, skins left on
• 1 med sweet onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• ½ stick butter
• ¼ c apple cider
• ½  c chicken stock
• ½ c chardonnay
• ½ c fresh raspberries
• Salt and pepper

Generously season pork medallions with salt and pepper on both sides.  Pre-heat large and deep frying pan to medium heat.  Melt 1 ½ tsp butter until it bubbles and just begins to turn brown.  Add pork to pan and sear approx 3-4 mins on each side.  Remove pork from pan and stack onto a plate and loosely cover with foil.

In same pan, add another tsp butter and melt until bubbles and turns brown.  Scrape bottom of pan for browned bits left behind by the pork.

Add onions and apple slices and sauté in butter until slightly browned and soft. (Aprox 5-7 mins)  Add garlic and sauté with onions and apples until browned.  (Aprox 2 mins.)

Raise heat to med-high.  Add apple cider and reduce by about ½.  (Aprox 2-3 mins. Liquid should come to a slow consistent boil.)

Add chicken stock.  Reduce by ½.

Add wine.  Reduce by ½.

Reduce heat to med.  Add pork medallions back into pan.  Pour all juice from plate into pan and cover.  Allow pork to cook in remaining liquid for 3-5 mins.  You want pork to be tender and pink inside, but not red.

Serve pork on large plate with apple mixture poured over it.  Sprinkle with raspberries.

Serve with asparagus and sweet potatoes.  Pair with Riesling.

ASPARAGUS

Cut dried ends of asparagus off.  Bring 2 c water ½ c apple cider to a slight boil.  Add asparagus to liquid and cook for only 1-2 minutes.  Remove asparagus and immediately place into bowl of ice water for 10  secs to stop cooking and keep vegetable crisp.  Drain asparagus, sprinkle with salt and pepper.   Serve immediately.

SMASHED SWEET POTATOES

Peel 2-3 large sweet potatoes and chop into ½ inch pieces.  Place on foil lined cooking sheet.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper and olive oil.  Roast potatoes in 350° oven for 30 minutes.  Smash potatoes with 1 tsp butter, TB cinnamon, tsp ginger, and splash of apple cider.  Serve immediately.

Lemons and Limes are the stars in this simple marinade.

This recipe is extremely versatile and makes even the pickiest eaters happy!  I love making lots of this chicken as is easy to turn the leftovers into several different fabulous meals.

MARINADE INGREDIENTS:

• 4 chicken breasts
• 2 lemons, juiced
• 4 limes, juiced
• 3 Tbs sugar
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 Tbs salt
• ¼ Tbs ground black pepper
• 3 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
• Two dashes of red pepper flakes

MARINADE VARIATIONS:

• For a spicier marinade with smoky flavor: Add 1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped
• For a fresher taste: Add several basil leaves or a handful of cilantro coarsely ripped

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Pound chicken to even thickness.   Cut each breast in half.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides.
• Line bowl with gallon sized ziplock bag.  Squeeze lemons and limes into bag.  Add chopped garlic, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.   Mix.
• Add chicken to bag.  Squeeze all air from bag and seal.  Massage marinade into chicken and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes but NO MORE than an hour.   Flip bag over half way through marinating time.
• Grill chicken on hot grill approximately 8-10 mins on each side depending on thickness of chicken.  (Internal temp should reach at least 165 degrees.)

LEMON-LIME VINAIGRETTE
(to use on rice or salad and serve with lemon-lime chicken)

• 1 lemon, juiced
  2 limes, juiced
  3 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
  3 Tbs sugar
  1 clove garlic, chopped
  1 small green onion, chopped
  1 Tbs salt
  ¼ Tbs black pepper
  Dash of red pepper flakes

VINAIGRETTE VARIATIONS – you may also add any of the following:

• Basil, 2 Tbs finely chopped
• Cilantro, 2 Tbs finely chopped
• Hot sauce, 5-10 drops
• Jalapeno pepper, 1 chopped

Prepare vinaigrette 30 minutes to three days before use.  Refrigerate dressing when not in use.

Sundried tomatoes really make this dish!

This recipe is FABULOUS for leftover chicken or turkey!

Ingredients:

• Thinly sliced chicken breast
• Fresh baby spinach leaves
• Mixed Italian cheese, shredded (any combo of mozzarella, romano, or parmesan)
• Balsamic vinaigrette (see recipe below)
• Sundried tomatoes, drained if packed in oil, and chopped
• Fabulous multigrain or wheat bread slices

VARIATIONS:

*Artichoke hearts, chopped are also a good addition to this dish.

* Thinly sliced turkey also works well in this recipe.

Assembly Instructions:

• Toast bread.
• Sprinkle vinaigrette evenly over toasted bread.
• Add a layer of spinach leaves.
• Add a layer of chicken.
• Sprinkle on sundried tomatoes.
• Top with even layer of cheese.
• Put back into oven and broil just long enough to melt cheese (30-60 seconds)

Vinaigrette:

• ¼ c balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbs. water
• 1-½  Tbs. sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ tsp pepper

Mix ingredients well.  May be made up to 3 days prior to use.

• 4 chicken breasts
• ¼ c soy sauce
• 3 Tbs honey
• 1 lime, juiced
• 3 Tbs olive oil
• 2 Tbs mirin, rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 Tbs ground ginger
• 1 Tbs salt
• ¼ Tbs ground black pepper
• Two dashes of red pepper flakes

IDEAS ON HOW TO USE CHICKEN:

• Salad with chicken: Add sliced chicken to mixed garden salad with mandarin oranges and top with teriyaki sauce (recipe below)
• Chicken wraps: Wrap thinly sliced chicken with shredded lettuce, shredded carrots, and chopped broccoli.  Sprinkle teriyaki sauce on wrap or use as a dip.
• Rice bowl: Chop chicken and mix with brown rice, shredded or sliced carrots, steamed broccoli and/or snap peas, and teriyaki dressing. (This dish works well hot or cold.)

RECIPE:

Pound chicken to even thickness.   Cut each breast in half.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides.

Line bowl with gallon sized ziplock bag.  Add ingredients and mix.

Add chicken to bag.  Squeeze all air from bag and seal.  Massage marinade into chicken and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes but NO MORE than an hour.   Flip bag over half way through marinating time.

Grill chicken on hot grill approximately 8-10 mins on each side depending on thickness of chicken.  (Internal temp should reach at least 165 degrees.)

TERIYAKI DRESSING

• ¼ c soy sauce
• 3 Tbs honey
• ½ lime, juiced
• 3 Tbs olive oil
• 2 Tbs mirin, rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• Two dashes of red pepper flakes

Prepare vinaigrette 30 minutes to three days before use.  Refrigerate dressing when not in use.

Mangoes star in this sweet and slightly spicy salad to make it nourishing and completely satisfying!

This recipe calls for roasted chicken, but can easily be made into a vegan or vegetarian recipe by replacing the chicken with cashews.

DRESSING:

• Extra virgin olive oil (4 T)
• Water (2 T)
• Lemon Juice (2 T)
• Honey (2 T organic, locally harvested when possible)
• Garlic (1 clove chopped)
• Cayenne pepper (1 t)
• Mango (about 4 T chopped)
• Salt & pepper

Blend all ingredients together and let sit for 30 mins to 3 days.  (If you don’t have a blender, mash the mangoes with a fork and mix with rest of ingredients.)

SALAD:

• Roasted chicken breast (1 breast, shredded)  OR use cashews.
• Mango (1 chopped, bite-size pieces)
• Avocado (1 chopped, bite-size piece)
• Raspberries
• Mixed salad greens (1 bag)

Rip salad greens into smaller pieces and place in bowl.  Toss greens with dressing.  Add chicken and toss.  Add avocado and mango and toss carefully a few times so as not to mash ingredients.  Sprinkle with raspberries.  Serve.

***TIPS:

• Make it quicker: If you are pressed for time, pick up a pre-roasted chicken from the supermarket and shred it.
• Make it healthier: Opt for chicken which is organic with no hormones added.
• Make it vegan/vegetarian: Replace the chicken with cashews.