Mediterranean Tilapia

 Flavorful, moist, and crunchy fish. . . A nice change from simply lemon pepper.

(Sorry for the shadow in the photo.)

Makes 6 servings

6 tilapia fillets(defrosted overnight in the refrigerator if they are frozen)

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 cup Enjoy Life Crunchy Flax with Chia cereal
1/3 cup coconut oil

1 tsp. dried minced garlic, or one fresh minced clove
1 tsp. marjoram
3/4 tsp. ground mustard
3/4 tsp. basil
3/4 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. coarse ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh spinach leaves

1/3 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
3 T. Daiya mozzarella style shreds (optional)

Preheat oven to 400° F.  Place the Crunchy Flax with Chia cereal in a quart resealable bag. Seal out as much air as possible. Place the bag on a hard surface such as a wooden cutting board on the counter.  (I found this worked better than just right on the counter).  With the flat side of a mallet, smash the crunchy bits of cereal until most of them are crumbs.  You are not going for powder here, something more like bread crumbs or panko.  Set aside.

Line a shallow baking pan with foil. Place fish in single layer in foil lined pan.  Sprinkle the fish with the kosher salt.

In a medium bowl, combine the coconut oil and spices.  Rub about 1 T. of the oil onto the fish.

Stir the chopped spinach leaves, crushed cereal, bell pepper, and Daiya mozzarella style shreds (optional) into the remaining seasoned coconut oil.  Divide mixture evenly among the fish, pressing lightly so mixture adheres somewhat to the top of the fish.

Bake in the preheated oven for 15 min.

(Hey Mikey, she liked it!)

Chocolate Pudding

WAY better than Jell-0 pudding.

This recipe makes 3 cups like the one pictured above or about 2 bowl servings.  Double the recipe to make 6 to-go cups, or 4-5 bowls.

1/4 cup sugar
1 packed and heaping T. cornstarch
dash salt
2 T. cocoa powder
1/4 c. Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips
1 cup coconut milk beverage
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

In a small saucepan, mix together the sugar, cornstarch, salt, cocoa powder, and chocolate chips.  Slowly stir in the coconut milk beverage until sugar is dissolved.  Heat over medium to medium-high heat, stirring constantly.  As chocolate chips begin to melt, be sure to stir them up off the bottom of the pan so they don't burn.  Cook and stir about 10 min.  It will get thick and creaming and turn into pudding.

Immediately pour into to-go cups or into bowls.  Serve warm or chilled.

Tender Slow Cooked Country Style Pork Ribs

A super EASY Sunday dinner!

2-3 lbs. country style pork ribs
3/4-1 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup ketchup
2 T. sugar
2 T. Coconut Aminos
1 garlic clove, minced (or 1/8 tsp. dried minced)
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper

Place ribs in slow cooker.
Combine the remaining ingredients and pour over ribs.
Cover.  Cook on Low 4-6 hours.

Chicken Fajitas

She liked it!  Sorry I forgot to take pictures.  It sure is delicious.  You will just have to make it to see it!
Makes 6-8 servings

1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup orange juice
2 T. olive oil
1 tsp. dried minced garlic
1 tsp. dried minced onion
3/4 tsp. ground cumin
3/4 tsp. dried oregano leaves
1/2 tsp. dried cilantro leaves
1/4 tsp. course ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 lbs. boneless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips*
1 medium green, red, or yellow pepper (or a mix of the them to equal one pepper), cut into thin strips
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
8-10 corn tortillas
1-2 T. additional oil to heat the tortillas

*still slightly frozen chicken breasts are easiest to slice into thin strips with a sharp knife.
Put chicken in a large resealable bag.
Mix juices, oil, spices and salt in a small bowl.  Reserve 1/4 cup of the marinade for later. Add the remaining marinade to the plastic bag with the chicken.  Lay flat and squeeze out as much air as possible.  Turn to coat well.  Refrigerate 30 min.
This is when I cut the peppers and onions.  And I usually put a pot of rice on to cook to go with the fajitas.
Strain the chicken from the liquid.
Heat a large skillet over med-high heat.  Add chicken and cook and stir about 3 min. or until lightly browned.  Remove from skillet.  Add bell pepper, onion and reserved marinade; cook and stir until tender, about 5 min. Return chicken to skillet.  Cook 2-3 min. or until heated through.

Either remove the chicken mixture from the skillet and keep warm in a warm oven, then wipe the skillet clean and replace to burner and heat, or use a separate skillet and heat.  Add 1-2 T additional oil, heat.  Prepare a plate with a paper towel on top with a pile standing ready to go between each tortillas as it comes out of the pan.  Add one tortilla to the heated oil. The oil should bubble slightly around the edges, if it does not, the oil is not hot enough. Cook the tortilla about 30 seconds, flip carefully so as to not splatter oil.  Cook another 30 seconds.  Remove to the paper towel on the plate.  Cover with a paper towel.  Add the next tortilla to the skillet and continue warming the tortillas, stacking them on the pile, and covering them with paper towels.

Spoon the chicken mixture into the warmed tortillas.  Enjoy!

JoJos

A gluten free version of a grocery deli food.

1/2 cup gluten free flour
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper
8 small potatoes, peeled or not
olive oil

Heat oven to 450° F.

Combine the flour and seasonings in a large plastic bag, ziploc or bread bag.  Peel the potatoes, if desired.  Quarter the potatoes into 4 wedges.  Place potatoes in the bag.  Allowing the bag to stay filled with air, zip or twist the bag closed.  Shake, shake, shake, turn, flip, flop, until all the potatoes are covered with the seasoned flour.

Cover a large sheet with foil.  Lay out the floured potatoes one cut side down onto the tray so they do not touch each other.

Bake 15 min.  Remove from oven, flip the potatoes onto the other cut side, drizzle now with olive oil.  Bake another 15 min. until golden brown.

Lasagna, sort of

Hannah really loved this easy version of a Lasagna style dish.  She even made it all by herself!

Gluten free Lasagna Noodles, uncooked
prepared Spaghetti Sauce, we used 1 jar Classico Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce
1 lb ground beef
1 package Daiya Mozzarella style shreds (you could also buy the block and slice it)
(I think Hannah also added Cheddar style shreds)

Heat oven to 350° F.

In a medium saucepan, over med. high heat, brown the ground beef.  Strain off the grease.  Add the prepared spaghetti sauce and 1/4 cup water.

In an 8 x 8 casserole dish, spread a thin layer of the spaghetti sauce.  Layer with one layer of Lasagna noodles.  Add another thin layer of spaghetti sauce, then one layer of "cheese".  Top this with another round of noodles, sauce and cheese, then noodles, sauce and cheese again, or until the casserole dish is full.

Cover with foil and bake 45 min. to 1 hour.

Happy New Year!

Party Cereal Mix (aka Chex® Mix)

For Hannah's New Year's Celebration, we made a Party Mix that was safe for her.

3 T. Earth Balance Soy Free Natural Buttery Spread or stick (coconut oil might be good too!)
1 T. Coconut Aminos
3/4 t. seasoned salt (we use Lawry's)
1/4 tsp plus 1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
2 cups Ener-G gluten free Pretzel rings
2 cups corn Chex®
2 cups rice Chex®

Optional: you could also add sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, etc.

In a small bowl, melt the butter alternative.  Stir in Coconut Aminos and seasonings.

Measure pretzels and cereals into a large bowl, mix.  Drizzle the seasoned butter and stir into pretzels and cereal.  Mix well.  Microwave on high 2 min, stir, 2 min. stir, 1 min.

Layer a sheet of parchment paper on a large tray.  Spread the cooked mix out on the parchment paper to cool.  Store in an airtight container.