Four More One Pot Wonder Dinners

I am making an exception to our "Wordless Wednesdays."  I have too many recipes to share with you, and I need to honor someone extra close to my heart...

Yesterday was my son Austin's first birthday!  I am in awe of our little man each and every day as he is growing up and learning so quickly.  Year one has been filled with SO MANY great laughs, hugs, snuggles, and joyful memories.  I am so grateful that God gave us this bright, healthy, spunky little boy.  Happy birthday Austin!

We celebrated with a simple Advanced Plan vanilla cupcake, recipe found in my Kids Birthday Party e-book.  The frosting is whipped avocado with powdered xylitol (for Austin's cupcake I used powdered sugar, because babies cannot digest sugar alcohols).  Sunday is Austin's big 1st birthday party!  I'm excited to show you the little crafts and new recipes I have been working on for his celebration.  It's going to be a fun day, I can't wait!  I'll give you a recap next week! :)


More Quick Meals Using Spice Mixes

I have more yummy and QUICK dinner recipes to share that use the spice mix ingredients from our Spice Mix Party last month.  I'm only sharing my top favorites.  There were some dishes that didn't make the cut, so please try the ones I'm including below and in yesterday's post.  They are winners!  They're now topping my go-to list!

Summer Squash Dressing
ADVANCED PLAN 
Makes 6 Servings

2 cups organic yellow or green zucchini/squash, diced
2 cups crumbled coconut bread
1/2 cup coconut oil or raw butter, melted
2 tsp dried sage
2 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 cups cream of mushroom soup
2 eggs, beaten
1 onion, chopped
1/4 cup organic unsweetened almond milk
Sea salt and fresh pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a 2-3 quart casserole dish.  In a large bowl, stir together the squash, coconut bread, coconut oil, sage, garlic, cream of mushroom soup, egg, onion, almond milk, sea salt and black pepper.  Transfer to prepared baking dish.  Bake for 40 minutes, until lightly browned.  Let sit 5-10 minutes before serving.

Ranch Parmesan Chicken
CORE PLAN
Makes 6 Servings

6 free-range skinless chicken breasts (bone-in is okay)
1/2 cup organic sour cream
1/2 cup Healing Cuisine Mayonnaise
1 Tbsp homemade ranch dressing mix
1 cup almond meal
1/2 cup raw Parmesan cheese, grated
1 Tbsp season salt (salt-free and MSG-free)
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp fresh black pepper

Wash and dry chicken breasts.  In a large bowl, stir together sour cream, mayonnaise, and ranch dressing mix.  Add the chicken breasts and use your hands to coat the chicken in the ranch dressing.  Marinade chicken breasts in the fridge for at least an hour or overnight.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Grease a glass 9x13 inch pan and set aside.  In a separate 9x13 inch pan, combine almond meal, Parmesan cheese, season salt, garlic powder, and black pepper.  Dip marinaded chicken (remove any extra dressing) in the almond crumb mixture, covering both sides evenly.  Place crumb covered chicken in greased glass baking dish.  Cover baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes.  Remove foil, and bake for another 15 minutes,  until internal temperature reaches 180 degrees F and almond crust is lightly browned.  We serve with steamed broccoli or roasted veggies.  P.S., this recipe also makes great chicken strips!

Slow Cooker Italian Chicken
ADVANCED PLAN
Makes 6 Servings

6 chicken breasts (bone-in is okay, you can slice or cube the raw chicken, too)
3 Tbsp homemade Italian dressing mix
8 oz organic cream cheese, room temperature
3 cups cream of mushroom soup
2 Tbsp garlic powder

Add all ingredients to slow cooker and cook on Low for 4-6 hours.  If sauce is too thick, thin it with a little vegetable broth or almond milk.  We served over spiral brown rice noodles, but I'd like it with zucchini noodles as well.

Beef Stroganoff
ADVANCED PLAN
Makes 4 Servings

1 1/2 lbs 100% grass fed top sirloin steak strips OR ground beef
4 Tbsp coconut oil
1 onion, chopped
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
3 Tbsp homemade dry onion soup mix
2 Tbsp organic tomato paste
1 Tbsp arrowroot powder
2 cups organic sodium-free beef stock
1 cup full-fat coconut milk
Sea salt and fresh black pepper, to taste

In a skillet, heat the coconut oil over Medium-High heat.  Add the mushrooms and onion.  Saute until slightly softened and browned.  Remove to a plate.  Brown ground beef until no longer pink.  Return onion and mushrooms to pan.  Stir in garlic, dry onion soup mix, and tomato paste.  Reduce heat to Medium.  Sprinkle arrowroot powder over meat mixture and stir to combine until arrowroot is completely mixed in.  Add beef stock and  coconut milk, stirring thoroughly.  Sauce will begin to thicken as it comes to a simmer.  Reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool before spooning onto plates.  We serve over cooked smashed cauliflower, zucchini noodles, cauliflower rice or roasted spaghetti squash.

Spice Mix Party + 3 New Recipes

Take a gander at what a few girlfriends and I made at a Spice Mix Party we threw last month:

I'm not sure if we created the idea of a Spice Mix Party, but it sure was fun!  It all started with the realization of two Maximized mommy friends, Rachel and Jess, that pre-made spice mixes are A) SO convenient to have in the pantry, B) so gosh darn expensive, and C) commercially loaded with chemicals and preservatives.  Rachel and Jess decided to organize the spice night as a way to make delicious healthy spice mixes in bulk for $$$cheap.  When they invited me to be a part, you know I was in!

Read Rachel's account of our Spice Mix Party here!  She also lists our recipe modifications.  We had a blast cooking and mixing herbs and spices.  It was a fun excuse to get together to chat, eat, and let the kiddos mingle, too!

Here's what we made:  Dry Onion Soup Mix, Ranch Dressing Mix, Italian Dressing Mix, Taco Seasoning, and Cream of 'Something' Soup.  (In our case, we did cream of mushroom soup.)

You can make the spice mixes on your own, and still save money by making them yourself!  I also love the fact that we used organic ingredients, because conventional herbs and spices are loaded with pesticides and herbicides that concentrate as the herbs are dried.  Total, we each spent about $35 on the organic spice mixes and soups!  We each took home 2+ cups worth of each seasoning mix and 6+ 'cans' of cream-of-something soup, plenty to make months worth of tasty recipes!

WHAT TO MAKE WITH YOUR MIXES

I have waited to post about our spice party, because I wanted to share what I have been making with these new seasoning mixes.   I will share my latest recipe creations with you TODAY AND TOMORROW, so be sure to come back!  There are some great 30 Minute and One Pot Wonder meals coming!

Slow Cooked Beef Tips
ADVANCED PLAN
Makes 6 Servings

2 lbs 100% grass fed beef tenderloin, stew meat, chuck roast or chuck eye, cubed
1 onion, sliced
2 cups organic mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 cups homemade cream of mushroom soup
1/3 cup arrowroot powder, whisked into 3 Tbsp cold water
3 cups organic sodium-free beef stock
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp fresh black pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
1/3 cup homemade dry onion soup mix
3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.  Add cubed meat, onion, and mushroom to a 9 x 13 inch pan.  In a large bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients together.  Pour over the meat and toss to coat.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 300 degrees F for 3 hours.  Do not remove foil until 3 hours is reached. Serve over zucchini noodles, cauliflower rice, roasted veggies, smashed sweet potato or cauliflower mashed 'fotatoes.'  (Can be prepared in slow cooker on Low for 6 hours.)

Honey Glazed Italian Chicken
CORE PLAN
Makes 8 Servings

3 1/2 pounds skinless free-range chicken pieces (I like to use thighs and breasts, bone-in is fine)
2 Tbsp homemade Italian dressing mix
1/2 cup raw honey

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a large baking pan and set aside (or cover with foil/parchment paper).  Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels.  Lay chicken pieces evenly onto baking sheet in one single layer.  Warm honey in a small saucepan over Low heat or using a hot water bath.  With a fork, stir in dry Italian mix.  Dip and press the chicken pieces into the honey mixture, coating front and back, and place each piece back down onto prepared pan.  Bake for 50-60 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.  Serve with steamed or roasted veggies.

Cheesy Chicken Ranch Casserole
ADVANCED PLAN
Makes 8 Servings

2 1/2 cups chopped frozen organic broccoli
1-2 cups frozen organic peas
6 Tbsp homemade ranch dressing mix
2 cans organic full-fat coconut milk
1 Tbsp arrowroot powder
2 cups shredded cooked free-range chicken
1/2 cup organic mozzarella cheese
1 cup raw cheddar cheese
sea salt & pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Blanch the frozen broccoli and peas in boiling water for 1-2 minutes, to remove ice crystals and slightly soften the outside.  Drain and shake as dry as possible.  Set aside.  In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, cornstarch, and ranch dressing mix.  Stir in the shredded chicken, blanched broccoli, blanched peas, 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese, and sea salt/black pepper to taste. Transfer to a greased 3 quart casserole dish.  Layer the mozzarella cheese slices across the top and sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese over the top.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes, until heated through and cheese on top is browned.  We serve ours over wide cut zucchini noodles.  Brown rice pasta would also be tasty.

Four more delicious dinner recipes coming at you tomorrow!

Questions Answered: Grain Free Chicken Nuggets

Happy WEEKEND everyone!

Boy did I ever need this weekend to arrive.  It's been a long week with Austin, and I appreciate the few extra hours that I have my husband home to help me this weekend.  Austin is about 10.5 months now, and his mood swings are high and often lately.  From what I've read on some attachment parenting forums, this is about the age where he's developing a lot of new skills all at once (walking, talking more, expressing new emotions, eating new foods, more teeth, etc etc) and it can be overwhelming, so babies often release in this way.  What do you all think?  Experience the same moodiness with your little one(s) at this age?  Well it's been almost a week straight.  I'm fried.  And on top of it, I've worn myself down and come down with a cold.  I am in need of a momcation!!  :)

Now, while I sip on my Healing Cuisine Tincture Tea and think of all the ways today was a blessing and a gift, I'll answer a recipe question from Tyese P.:

"I wanted to know if you can help me come up with healthy versions of chicken nuggets and pizza. My kids love to eat them, but I don't like the unhealthy ones... If you could help me out I would appreciate it.  Thanks!"  - Tyese P., Illinois

These are two great recipe requests, and two that every mom should have up her sleeve.  You are right on, Tyese.  Chicken nuggets and pizza bought in the frozen food aisle, the deli section, or from a fast food restaurant are all extremely unhealthy and can be laden with chemicals, preservatives, and food dyes.  Grains and sugar can be the least of your worries when buying a manufactured chicken nugget or pizza!  Have you peeked at the ingredients list of one of those packages lately??

I'll be sharing my recipe for chicken nuggets today, and pizza tomorrow.  I looked up Tyson Chicken Nuggets.  That is the brand my mom fed us growing up.  This nutritional and ingredients info is direct from their website.  Check it out:

At first glance you might say, wow that's not so bad!  But let's remember where this chicken came from, how it was raised, and how it was butchered.  When you hear the brand name "Tyson," you may remember that they are known for loading their birds with chemicals BEFORE the butchering takes place...probably so they don't have to post the chemicals on the ingredients label since it's not added during the manufacturing process?  I remember news reports came out about that a few years back, also about the way they treat their animals....  Google it!

My point is, this meat is not coming from free range pastured chickens.  We don't know the chemical burden of the meat, which also means the fats are compromised.  If we continue to look at the ingredients list, you can see there is a lot of wheat going in (sugar), and corn (sugar), and vegetable oil (bad fat).  And look at all the salt!  Bad salt, too.  It's not our healthy Himalayan mineral sea salt.  And on a label when you see "spices" or sometimes it can read "other flavorings," that can mean MSG.  Who really knows what they are hiding by using a vague term like that.

Your kids deserve better!  Start with some free range organic chicken and make these nuggets with Advanced Plan ingredients!  My recipe is below.  I have decided to share this recipe which is originally found in my Kid's Birthday Party e-Book.  Inside, you'll also find easy Core and Advanced Plan menu options perfect to please your birthday boy or girl and their party guests!  The menu list includes: Almond Crusted Chicken Strips, Sweet Potato Fries, Caramel Apple Slices, Banana Nut Stacks, Chocolate Almond Snack Bars, Very Berry Smoothie, Strawberry Lemonade, Vegetable Art, Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting.

Grain Free Chicken Nuggets
Makes 24 Nuggets

1/2 cup almond flour, sifted
3 Tbsp coconut flour, sifted
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp fresh black pepper
1 1/2 tsp olive oil 
3 free range eggs
1 lb free-range boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approx. 2 large breasts)
4 Tbsp coconut oil, melted

1.)  Preheat oven to 475°F.  Set a wire rack on a foil-lined baking sheet and brush with coconut oil. Wash and dry chicken breasts.  Cut each breast into 6 uniform strips, then cut each strip in half.  Use a meat mallet to pound out thick nuggets to each nugget is of uniform thickness.  Lay out on a plate and set aside.

2.)  Place almond flour, coconut flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dry mustard, sea salt and pepper in a food processor.  Pulse until the the paprika is mixed throughout, about 1 minute.  With the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil.  Blend until just combined.  Transfer the mixture to a shallow dish.

3.)  Whisk eggs in a second shallow dish.  Add chicken nuggets to eggs and turn to coat.  Transfer each nugget to the almond mixture and dredge evenly on all sides.  Place the chicken nugget on the prepared rack.  Repeat until all chicken nuggets are dredged and on the prepared rack.

4.)  Brush each nugget with coconut oil.  Flip and coat the other side.  Bake the chicken nuggets until golden brown, crispy and no longer pink in the center, 20 to 25 minutes.  Serve with organic ketchup and honey mustard.

TIP:  Prepare in advance:  Bake, cool and freeze in an airtight container.  Simply remove from freezer and pop, frozen, into oven at 350 degrees F until warmed through.  May need to cover with aluminum foil to prevent burning during reheat.

Tune in tomorrow for Advanced Plan PIZZA!

Sweet Potato Chicken Casserole

It's summer, but does that mean we can't enjoy a good One Pot Wonder?  I didn't think so!  This is a super easy casserole that takes all of 15-20 minutes to mix up.  You can prepare it the night before, and pop in the oven in the evening when you get home from work.  This might also be a good crock pot recipe..  Just skip the pan cooking, dump everything into the crock pot for 6-8 hours.

We like to serve ours over fresh spinach leaves.  A quick supper that even the kids will eat!

Sweet Potato Chicken Casserole
Makes 4 Servings

1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 1/4 cups onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
4 boneless skinless free-range chicken breasts, chopped
1 Tbsp arrowroot powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp fresh black pepper
1 cup dry white wine (or vegetable stock)
1 cup sodium free organic vegetable stock
1/4 cup full fat organic coconut milk

1.)  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Grease a 9x13 inch baking sheet with coconut oil.  Heat 1 Tablespoon of coconut oil in a large stainless steel or cast iron skillet over Medium heat.  Cook onion and garlic until golden.  Add sweet potatoes.  Cook 8-10 minutes until lightly browned, stirring occasionally.

2.)  Move vegetables to the edges of the pan.  Put chopped chicken into the center of skillet.  Cook chicken until seared on all sides.  Sprinkle chicken with arrowroot, sea salt, and pepper.  Gradually whisk in chicken stock a bit at a time until all is added to the skillet and arrowroot is dissolved.  Scrape any brown bits from the bottom of pan while whisking.  Stir in wine and coconut milk.

3.)  Scrap casserole mixture into oiled baking dish.  Bake for 1 hour until heated through and bubbly.

Mediterranean Chicken-Quinoa Salad

In case you're not following my adventures and interesting article shares on Facebook, I wanted to let you know what Dave and I are up to for Lent.  We have helped launch a 40 day renewal series at our church focusing on renewing the temple God gave you -- your body!  We're already in to the second week, hard to believe!  That link takes you to the website/blog for the 40 day series, and we're also doing in-depth workshops weekly at church.  I invite you to follow along online and make some commitments and sacrifices for yourself (together with your family) this Lenten season.  By tightening your focus, you will grow closer to Him.

In case you missed it, here is the post where I shared the recipes I made for the kick-off workshop the Sunday before Ash Wednesday.  I threw together a few new recipes for the event, and all are listed in that post, so don't miss out!!!

And I just can't help but share one of those new recipes right here, mostly because I am so so satisfied at how it turned out, but also because I literally threw ingredients into a bowl at 3am, stirred it, put it in the fridge and rolled in to bed.  Didn't even taste test along the way, I was so dang tired.  Well this new on-a-whim salad turned heads and wowed even the kiddos!  Can you say "show stopper!?!"  Lunch, dinner, snack...it's perfect!

Mediterranean Chicken-Quinoa Salad
Makes 4 Servings

1 cup dry quinoa
2 cups sodium-free vegetable stock
3 cups cooked chicken, diced
1/2 cup red onion, diced
3/4 cup cucumber, diced
1/2 cup artichoke hearts, diced
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1/4 cup dried parsley flakes
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp fresh black pepper

1.)  Bring vegetable stock to a boil in a large pot.  Under cold running water, rinse quinoa until water runs clear.  Add to boiling stock.  Lower heat and cover at a simmer.  Let cook for about 20 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed.

2.)  Remove from heat.  Fluff with a fork.  In a large bowl, add quinoa, chicken, onion, cucumber, and artichoke.  (Is also great with added capers, tomatoes or garbanzo beans.)

3.)  In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, oregano, parsley, sea salt, and pepper.  Pour over quinoa mixture and toss to coat.  Serve warm or cold.

Vegetable Frittata

We've been eating a lot of frittatas lately.  For some reason I'm finding it easier to whip one of these up than our usual sunny side up eggs or an omelet.  Not to mention a frittata holds much more room for flavor combinations!  I love them!  We've been doing at least one a week, and sometimes one every day.  :)

You can use any combination of veggies, about 4 cups total for this large frittata.  My favorite right now is in the recipe below, onion, zucchini, green pepper, spinach, chicken if we have some leftover from dinner, and salsa.  Another great combo is leek, tomato and fresh rosemary. 

Vegetable Frittata
Makes 4 Servings

2 Tbsp coconut oil
1 onion, diced
2 organic zucchinis, diced
1 organic green pepper, diced
1-2 handfuls free-range chicken, cooked and chopped
2 large handfuls organic spinach
2 Tbsp organic unsalted butter
6 free-range eggs, beaten
Herbs to your liking (basil and oregano are my staples)
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
Organic unsweetened salsa, optional

1.)  Preheat your broiler with oven rack at highest level.  In a large stainless steel skillet on your stove top, add coconut oil over Medium-High heat and saute the onion, zucchini, and green pepper about 5 minutes, until softened.   Add in the chicken and heat thru for 2 minutes.  Reduce heat to Low and add the spinach on top and wilt down, about 30-45 seconds.

2.)  Add the butter to the pan, melting it down and incorporating all thru the mixture, making sure the bottom of the skillet is well coated.  Pour beaten eggs over top, tilting pan as needed to get egg mixture to coat all the veggies.

3.)  Sprinkle optional herbs over top.  Season with sea salt and pepper.  Turn off heat on stove top.  Place skillet under broiler for about 3-5 minutes, until fritata is puffy and light brown.  Remove from oven, cut into wedges and serve.  Top with fresh salsa (optional).

Picnic Week: Curried Chicken Salad

Picnic Week continues!  This is a fabulous new way to enjoy chicken salad.  It's great in lettuce wraps or over a bed of greens.  And of course so great on its own.  Surely a crowd pleaser!

Curried Chicken Salad
Makes 6 Servings

3/4 cup Healing Cuisine Mayonnaise
1 Tbsp curry powder
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 cups free-range chicken, grilled/roasted and shredded
1 1/2 cups organic Granny Smith apple, 1 inch thin slices
2/3 cup organic celery, diced
1/3 cup organic unsweetened raisins (OMIT IF ADVANCED PLAN)
1/2 tsp sea salt

In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, lemon juice, and curry powder until smooth.  Add remaining ingredients to bowl and toss well to coat.  Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

Questions Answered: Creamy Chicken Alfredo

Jacquelyn wrote in this morning with a special request:

"Hey wondering if you can help me out?  My daughter has made a birthday dinner request, and I want to keep it on ML plan as much as I can for her.  She wants grilled chicken and broccoli Alfredo.  Got any ideas for the sauce?  HELP!  It is the only thing she has asked for, and it's her sweet 16..."   ~ Jacquelyn

No worries, Jacquelyn!  Happy to help!  Below you'll find my signature Creamy Chicken Alfredo recipe.  I hope your daughter enjoys it and has a wonderful Sweet 16!

To make this dish, it’s super helpful to have a spiralizer.  This magical little kitchen tool lets you turn any veggie or fruit (zucchinis, carrots, sweet potatoes, jicama, beets, apples) into thin, pasta-like strands.  This particular model that I've linked above (World Cuisine brand) is the best one I have tested myself and the one I use personally.  I love that it comes with many various attachments, so you control the shape and thickness of your noodles.  For this recipe, I usually go with the medium width flat blade, to resemble fettuccine noodles.  You can use spiralized veggies as a pasta base with any kind of sauce or as a quick and easy way to prepare your veggies for a salad.  If you don’t have a spiralizer, fear not!  You can get away with thin slicing the zucchini with a peeler or grating it.

I will often serve this dish, believe it or not, with plain almond flour scones with plenty of butter (recipe can be found in my Mother's Day e-book) as they're great for dipping in the Alfredo sauce!  I also pair it with a hearty leaf salad (kale, spinach, romaine) with a sun-dried tomato basil dressing.

Healing Cuisine's Creamy Chicken Alfredo
Makes 6 Servings

ALFREDO SAUCE
2 cups organic unsweetened almond milk (plain)
2/3 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours
1/2 cup raw Parmesan cheese, grated
1 Tbsp Bragg's Liquid Aminos
3 Tbsp raw unsalted butter
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Pinch nutmeg
2-4 cloves garlic, to taste
Sea salt, to taste
Fresh black pepper, to taste

3-4 free-range boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and sliced
3/4 cup organic peas, fresh or frozen
4 organic medium zucchini, spiraled
1 1/2 cups organic broccoli florets, chopped

1.)  Drain and rinse the cashews.  Add all Alfredo Sauce ingredients to a blender and blend until very smooth.  You may need to scrape down sides a few times, and will take about 10 minutes on High to blend smooth.  Taste sauce and adjust seasonings as you go along (sea salt, pepper and garlic).

2.)  In a medium saucepan, pour in the blended Alfredo Sauce.  Heat over Medium-Low, stirring often, until thickened (about 8-15 minutes).

3.)  Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, bring some water to a boil.  Drop in broccoli florets and cook for 5 minutes.  Add in zucchini noodles and peas for an additional 4-5 minutes.  Drain immediately and drop blanched veggies into a large skillet.

4.)  Turn on heat under skillet to Medium.  Add in chicken.  Top with sauce and toss everything together to coat and combine.  Heat thru.  Taste once more before serving and adjust sea salt and pepper to your liking.

Zucchini Pasta Chicken Salad

Get out your julienne spiralizer!  It's time to make a healthy serving of today's recipe!  It gets better day after day as you eat the leftovers from your fridge, so I usually double this recipe.  I use my spiralizer on the thinest noodles setting, but you could make them any thickness that you prefer.

Spiralized Thin Zucchini Noodles

Zucchini Pasta Chicken Salad
Makes 4 Servings

2 medium organic zuccchinis
2 medium organic yellow squash
1 organic tomato, diced
1 cup black olives, diced (preservative free)
1 lb free-range chicken, cooked and shredded
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

DRESSING
1/3 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp Bragg's apple cider vinegar
Juice of half a lemon
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp organic unsweetened mustard
Sea salt and fresh pepper, to taste

1.)  Using your spiralizer, make noodles out of the zucchinis and yellow squash.  (TIP:  Keep the zucchini and squash cores for soups/stocks or stir fry dishes.)

2.)  In a large sauce pan, bring a few cups of water to boil.  Place steam in bottom of pan and steam the zucchini and squash noodles for about 5 minutes or until tender.  Remove from heat and drain.

3.)  Toss together the noodles, chicken, tomatoes, olives, and parsley.

4.)  In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients.  Pour over the salad and toss to combine.  Enjoy warm or chill for a few hours before serving.

Chicken Breasts with Oranges

One of the perks to living and working in Orlando is that we have amazing patients who bring us bags full of fresh, organic oranges from their back yards!  We get about a dozen oranges a week, and don't get me wrong, we love them!  I've been putting them on salads, into smoothies, sliced for a snack, etc.  But it's been a month and we're getting a little oranged out.  So I tried turning the orange into a savory meal.  This turned out as a very elegant dish for sure.  We felt like it could be served at a fancy restaurant.  And again, we were so hungry that we dove in to eating before I remembered to snap a photo.  It was very pretty tho.  I laid the reduced orange segments over the chicken breast then drizzled the sauce over top.  Delish!  We served with steamed cauliflower, perfect for soaking up the savory orange cream sauce!

Chicken Breasts with Oranges

Makes 4 Servings

4 free-range, organic boneless chicken breasts, butterflied

3 Tbsp coconut oil
3 Tbsp organic butter
3 large oranges, segmented and deseeded
1 large onion, sliced
1/2 cup organic, sodium-free chicken stock
1/2 cup organic/raw whole milk or cream
Dash of nutmeg

1.)  In a large skillet, add the coconut oil and butter and heat for a minute over Medium heat.  Place the chicken breasts in a single layer and cook, uncovered, over Medium heat about 8 minutes per side.  Transfer the chicken to a plate.

2.)  In the bottom of the skillet, put the orange segments and the onion slices.  Cook over Medium heat for about 6 minutes stirring occasionally.

3.)  Add the chicken broth and cream to the skillet and stir to incorporate and bring to a boil. Add the chicken breasts.  Sprinkle each with a dash of nutmeg, cover the skillet, lower the heat to simmer and cook for 10 minutes.  Plate and serve.

Tomato Chicken Skillet

Here is a quick fix dinner that I make in a cast iron skillet and bring from stove top to table to serve.  Greek inspired, you can top with chopped black olives and fresh snipped basil or marjoram.  Eat as is or spoon over cooked quinoa (CORE Plan) or spiralized zucchini/yellow squash (ADVANCED Plan).

Tomato Chicken Skillet
Makes 4 Servings

4 free-range organic chicken breast halves (boneless, skinless)
Sea salt and fresh black pepper (to taste)
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 1/2  cups zucchini, sliced (can use frozen)
3/4 cup green pepper, sliced
1 white onion, sliced and separated into rings
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/4 cup filtered water
14 oz organic crushed tomatoes (homemade or jarred is best)
1/2 cup organic feta cheese, crumbled

1.) Sprinkle chicken with sea salt and black pepper, to taste.  Heat a large skillet over Medium-High heat.  Add coconut oil and chicken to skillet and cook until cooked completely thru (6-8 minutes per side). Remove chicken from skillet.

2.) Add zucchini, green pepper, onion, garlic, and black pepper to skillet.  Add water and reduce heat to Low/Simmer.  Cover and cook for 5 minutes, stirring once.

3.)  Stir in crushed tomatoes.  Bring to a boil then cover and lower heat to simmer for 5 minutes.  Add chicken breasts back to skillet and stir to combine.  Remove from heat.  Sprinkle with feta cheese and serve immediately.

One Pot Wonders: Chicken and Dumpling Soup

I wanted to close out this week of One Pot Wonders with a real comfort dish, and if this isn't it then I don't know what is!  It's Chicken and Dumpling Soup, Maximized Living Advanced Plan style.  You can still enjoy bread, dumplings, biscuits, cake, etc, on the Advanced Plan -- you just have to know what to put into it to make it a whole, healing food.

This soup can be prepared in advance the night before.  Simply store the crock pot in the fridge over night then set on Low in the morning before work.  The dumplings are super easy to make.  Drop them into the soup when you arrive home from work and the soup will be ready by the time you get changed and settled in.

Hope this week of One Pot Wonders has been helpful for you and your family.  Dave and I personally live off of one pot meals thru each week, so we value the variety in our Advanced Plan options.  If you have your own favorite One Pot Wonder, I would love if you would share it and I will post for all to enjoy:  elise@healingcuisinebyelise.com.

Chicken and Dumpling Soup
Makes 6 Servings

DUMPLINGS  (Makes 8)
2 cups raw almond flour (finely ground)
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 free-range eggs

CHICKEN SOUP
1 whole free-range chicken, roasted and shredded (3-4 cups)
4-6 cups organic vegetable stock (sodium free)
2 tsp of sea salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp fresh black pepper
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp dried basil
1 cup organic celery, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup frozen organic green peas, thawed
1/2 cup organic carrots, peeled and diced (CORE PLAN ONLY)
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk or organic heavy cream (optional)

1.)  Make the dumplings: Mix together eggs, sea salt, pepper and almond flour.  Mix until well-blended - will be sticky.  Shape into balls by rolling in your hands.  Place in the fridge.

2.)  In large crock pot, add all Chicken Soup ingredients except for heavy cream, filling pot with enough vegetable stock to cover the chicken and vegetables.  Cover and simmer on Low for 6 hours or High for 3 hours.  OR store in fridge over night and simmer 8 hours on Low or 4 on High.

3.)  At the last 20 minutes of cooking, remove the dumplings from the fridge and place them in the soup.  Cooking the dumplings will take about 20 minutes.  At this time, you can also stir in the (optional) heavy cream or almond milk -- makes for a more rich and opaque broth.  When dumplings are ready, you can serve!

One Pot Wonders: Italian Herb Chicken

The men of your family will love this dish, the best of both worlds -- spaghetti sauce and chicken!  If desired, serve with hot cooked brown rice pasta (CORE Plan) or spiralized zucchini/yellow squash (ADVANCED Plan).  We enjoy ours paired with a side salad.

Italian Chicken
Makes 4 Servings

1/2 of a medium head cabbage, cut into wedges
1 onion, sliced
1 cup button mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced
1 Tbsp arrowroot powder
1/4 cup iced cold water
2 1/2lbs chicken pieces (breast halves, thigh, drumsticks), raw and skinned
2 cups organic spaghetti sauce
1/2 cup organic vegetable stock (sodium free)
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 tsp ground basil
1 tsp ground oregano
Sea salt and fresh pepper (to taste)
Raw Parmesan cheese (to taste)

1.)  In a 6 quart slow cooker, combine cabbage wedges, onion, mushrooms and garlic.  In a small bowl, stir together iced water with arrowroot powder until dissolved.  Pour over vegetables in slow cooker.

2.)  Place chicken pieces on vegetables.  Sprinkle in seasonings (basil, oregano, sea salt, pepper).  Pour spaghetti sauce and vegetable stock over chicken.

3.)  Cover and cook on Low heat for 6 to 7 hours or on high-heat setting for 3 to 3-1/2 hours.  Plate and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese just before serving.

One Pot Wonders: Thai Curry Stir Fry

Don't let this somewhat long ingredients list scare you -- this Thai Curry Stir Fry is a very quick meal to make!  In these fall and winter months, Dave and I usually opt for frozen organic vegetables as it's hard to find organic options fresh at the stores.  To help with meal planning, we double this recipe and have it for dinner that night and fridge/freeze the rest for a lunch or dinner later in the week.  It reheats well in a saucepan on the stove.

Personally, we love to eat this dish as is, but you might feel like it's missing a little something...  If you are Core Plan, you can serve over wild rice.  If you are Advanced, you can finely shred and chop organic zucchini or yellow squash to serve as your rice.  Delicious!

Thai Curry Stir Fry
Makes 4 Servings

1 Tbsp coconut oil
2 free-range boneless, skinless chicken breasts, raw, chopped
1/4 cup organic vegetable broth (sodium-free, sugar-free, read the label!)
2 cups organic broccoli, chopped
1 cup organic cauliflower, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
6 ounces organic snow peas, strings removed
1 organic red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup organic zucchini, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, chopped (CORE Plan only)
1 Tbsp fresh ginger root, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp organic red curry paste (green or yellow can also be used)
1 tsp sea salt
1 can organic full-fat unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves (optional)

1.)  In medium bowl, dissolve curry paste with 2 Tablespoons of the vegetable broth.  Add chicken pieces and stir well to combine.  Set aside.

2.)  In large skillet or wok, heat coconut oil over Medium heat.  Add carrot (CORE only) and stir-fry for 3 minutes.  Next, add onion, bell pepper, snow peas, broccoli, cauliflower and zucchini and stir-fry about 2 minutes.  Add ginger and garlic; stir-fry for 1 minute.  Add chicken mixture, stirring well to separate meat; cook for 3 minutes.

3.)  Increase heat to Medium-High.  Stir in coconut milk, coriander, red pepper flakes, sea salt and remaining chicken broth.  Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.  Uncover and cook for 1 minute to reduce any liquid.

4.)  Remove from heat. Stir in basil leaves.  Serve.

One Pot Wonders: White Bean Chili

To kick off this week of One Pot Wonders, I'm sharing one of our absolute favorites.  You are probably familiar with this sister to classic chili, savory and smokey White Bean Chili.  This is a super quick meal to prepare, taking less than 30 minutes.  You can also simmer it in a crock pot so it's ready by the time you get home from work.  I usually make this recipe with turkey, saving leftovers from the Thanksgiving or Christmas turkeys.  You can also use shredded chicken.  If I have other veggies on hand, I'll throw them in to the chili as well (zucchini, celery, bell pepper, carrot, kale), sauteing until softened with the onion.

This one pot wonder is perfectly paired with a hefty slice of Coconut Flour Bread.

White Bean Chili
Makes 8 Servings

2 Tbsp coconut oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup mild green chilies, chopped (fresh or canned)
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups great northern beans, rinsed
2 cups white kidney beans, rinsed
48 oz organic sodium-free vegetable broth (check the label for sugar and preservatives)
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp dried oregano
2 tsp fresh black pepper
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne
1-2 cups cooked free-range turkey or chicken, shredded
Sea salt to taste

1.)  Heat oil in a large stock pot and add onion, chilies, and garlic.  Cook for a few minutes until tender.

2.)  Stir in beans, broth, cumin, oregano, and cayenne.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes.  As chili simmers, you can mash or puree some of the beans to thicken the chili (optional).

3.)  Add turkey/chicken.  Cover and simmer for another 10 minutes.  Add sea salt to taste.  Serve.  Fresh parsley or cilantro taste great sprinkled on top!

You can prepare this meal in the crock pot, simmer on low for 4 hours and it's ready!

Sweet Potato Chicken Burrito

This is a delicious new spin on the burrito, one of the recipes Dave and I concocted while formulating our gluten-free tortillas recipe.

I think it would have been fabulous to add a Tablespoon or two of fresh cilantro in with the avocado puree, but we didn't have any on hand.  Give it a try!  You might need to add a tad bit of water/olive oil to allow it to blend well in your blender.

Sweet Potato Chicken Burrito
Makes 8 Burritos

2 boneless free range chicken breasts
2 medium sweet potatoes
1/2 red onion, diced
1 jalapeno, seeded, veined and diced
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 1/2 c black beans
1/2 Granny Smith apple, diced
2 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp chili powder
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper (to taste)
1 Romaine heart, shredded
1 avocado, pureed smooth (like sour cream)
8 gluten free, grain free, sugar free tortillas

1.)  Peel and dice two sweet potatoes and steam or roast until tender.

2.)  Rinse, dry and cook the chicken (either grill, pan fry or bake).  Season it with a little garlic powder, sea salt and pepper.  Shred chicken when cooked thru.

2.)  In a separate skillet, add coconut oil over Medium heat and saute the onions and jalapeno until softened.  Add the black beans, diced apple, and seasonings.  Stir well to combine and cook until apples are soft. (May need to add a little more coconut oil, 1-2 teaspoons.)

4.)  Once the potatoes are done, gently stir them into the skillet being careful not to mash.  Fold in the chicken and heat the mixture thru.

5.)  Prepare the tortillas, topping the mixture with chopped Romain lettuce and avocado puree.  Wrap the burritos, folding the bottom edge up and rolling the left edge in and around to the right.  Serve and enjoy!

Moroccan Spiced Chicken

Dress up everyday chicken with a taste bud trip to North Africa!  If you have time, marinate the chicken in the spices overnight, which will enhance the flavor.

Moroccan Spiced Chicken
Makes 4 servings

2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
4 boneless, skinless free range chicken breasts, pound out to even thickness
2 Tbsp coconut oil
2 Granny Smith apples, diced

1.)  Combine 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon with the cumin, turmeric, chili powder, and sea salt in a small bowl.  Sprinkle over both sides of chicken breasts, coating both sides evenly.  Pat seasoning in well.

2.) Heat coconut oil in a large cast iron skillet.  Saute the chicken over Medium heat until cooked thru, about 5 minutes per side.  Remove chicken from skillet.

3.) Saute apple for 3 minutes over Medium heat.  Sprinkle with remaining teaspoon cinnamon; cook and stir to coat.  Spoon apples over chicken.  Serve immediately.  Goes great with steamed veggies or sauteed kale!

Asian Almond Chicken Salad

Here it is, the much praised Asian Almond Chicken Salad!  Oh, so good! 

Asian Almond Chicken Salad
Serves 10 (I quadrupled this recipe for the party of 100)

4 organic green onions, thinly sliced
1 large organic carrot, shredded (omit if Advanced Plan)
1 organic red bell pepper, chopped
1 organic orange or yellow bell pepper, chopped
1/2 pound organic sugar snap peas, halved
2 c chopped shredded free range chicken (I roasted a small chicken and picked it clean)
1/2 c fresh organic cilantro leaves
1/2 c raw almonds, slivered or chopped
2 Tbsp white vinegar
2 Tbsp sesame oil
2 Tbsp teriyaki sauce (recipe below)
1 Tbsp dry mustard powder
Red pepper flakes (optional)

1.)  In a large bowl, mix together the onions, carrot, bell peppers, peas, chicken, cilantro and almonds. Set aside.

2.)   In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sesame oil, teriyaki sauce and dry mustard until smooth.

3.)Pour over salad mixture and toss until well coated.  Cover and let sit in refrigerator 2 hours before serving or overnight.  Serve as is or on a bed of lettuce.


Teriyaki Sauce
Makes About 1 1/4 Cups

1 c Bragg's Liquid Aminos
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp dry mustard powder
1-2 Tbsp fresh ginger, chopped
1/3 c raw honey OR 1/3 c xylitol  (I've tried both, with honey is better consistency, but tastes great both ways)

1.)  Put all ingredients into blender and blend on High until smooth.  Taste and adjust to your liking (can add cayenne pepper, onion, or more ginger/garlic to your preference).  Store in a glass jar in refrigerator up to 3 weeks.  Great with chicken vegetable stir fries!

Chicken Strawberry Spinach Salad

It's time for a classic, Chicken Strawberry Spinach Salad:

2 tsp coconut oil
2 chicken breasts, washed and dried
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 Tbsp Healing Cuisine Mayonnaise
Fresh juice of one lime
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp almond milk
3 cup fresh spinach, stems removed
1/2 pint fresh strawberries, sliced
1 avocado, sliced
3 Tbsp slivered almonds or pecans
1/2 red onion, sliced thin
Fresh pepper and sea salt to taste

1.  Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Place chicken in skillet, season with garlic powder and cook 10 minutes on each side or until juices run clear.  Set aside.  [You can of course also grill the chicken.]

2. In a bowl, mix mayo, lime juice, ginger and almond milk with a fork.

3. Arrange spinach on serving plates.  Top with sliced chicken, onion, avocado and strawberries, sprinkle with almonds and drizzle with dressing. Season and serve!

Ginger Lime Chicken

Ginger Lime Chicken

4 skinless, boneless organic chicken breasts
3 limes, rinsed, zested and juiced
3 Tbsp grated fresh ginger root
1-2 Tbsp raw honey (omit if Advanced)
1 Tbsp & 1/4 c unsweetened flaked coconut
Ginger Lime Dip recipe (optional)
Head of lettuce or spinach (optional)

1.)  In a glass bowl, mix lime juice, lime zest, 1 Tbsp coconut and grated ginger.  Add chicken breasts and toss to coat.  Let marinate for about 20 minutes in fridge, rotating once or twice.

2.)  Heat grill or skillet to Medium/Medium-High and grease with a little coconut oil.  Remove chicken from marinade and drizzle top side with honey.  Add to grill or skillet, honey side down, and grill for about 6 minutes.  Drizzle other side with honey and flip, grilling until cooked thru (about another 6-8 minutes, depending on thickness).  You should get a nice caramelization.

3.)  Plate the grilled chicken over a bed of greens and drizzle with Ginger Lime Sauce.  Sprinkle with flaked coconut and serve.  (Or eat as is.  We sometimes pair this dish with the Spicy Mango-Cucumber-Coconut Salad for a light, refreshing lunch or dinner.)