Coconut-Ginger Curried Chicken & a So Delicious Giveaway!!

I just returned from a fabulous warm-weather vacation and made this recipe up remembering the amazing flavor of fresh coconut and strong, delicious spices coming together... definitely one of the most tasty chicken dishes I've made! It is a bit on the spicy side, so definitely reduce the cayenne if you don't like spicy food. I don't eat rice anymore, but it would be delicious served on top of a fluffy bowl of brown rice.

I also used So Delicious Coconut milk drink in this recipe - I really love this drink. I give it to my daughter to drink all the time and use it in desserts, but not that often in my cooking, so I was excited to use it here. It has a light and smooth flavor that is pleasing even if you're not that crazy about coconuts! I am quite excited to offer some free So Delicious products for you to try, so check out my giveaway at the bottom of this post.

Coconut-Ginger Curried Chicken

1.75lbs (approx) organic chicken leg quarters*

1large sweet potato (1 heaping cup chopped)

3organic carrots (1 cup chopped)

4large organic collard green leaves (2 cups packed/chopped)

1Tbsp grated ginger

4large cloves crushed garlic

2Tbsp curry powder

1tsp cinnamon

2tsp salt

1tsp oregano

1/8tsp cayenne pepper (less if you don’t want it spicy)

1Tbsp olive oil

1cup So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk

2Tbsp shredded unsweetened coconut

112 oz can organic black beans (optional)

*vegan option: Tofu would work wellhere, or just use the black beans and forget the meat

Mix together in a small bowl theginger, garlic, spices, and olive oil. Gradually add the coconut milk whilestirring and set aside. Place the chicken(or tofu) in a large, oiled pyrex and arrange the vegetables around it. Pourthe sauce over everything. Cover the pyrex in foil and place in therefrigerator to marinate for 1-2 hours.
To cook: preheat oven to 375ºF.Cook for approximately 40 minutes, remove foil, and cook another 5-10 minutesor until chicken is cooked through (internal temp of 165 ºF)
Serve with lime slices over brownrice or alone.

THE GIVEAWAY & PRIZE:

I will be running a giveaway herefor 5 free So Delicious products of your choosing + coupons for more amazing products!
The giveaway will be limited to U.S. residentsonly, and I will send prizes to the winner directly.

To Enter:
There are multiple ways to enter the giveaway!

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Vegan Quinoa Stuffing (gluten free, dairy free, soy free)

I think I've made some variation of this quinoa stuffing every year for Thanksgiving now since I went gluten free, but never wrote the recipe down. I just took this to a vegan Thanksgiving potluck the other day (shout-out to the Mindful Mommas!) so it gave me the opportunity to finally write it out. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays and while traditions are nice, I love experimenting with different types of dishes and modifying old ones. If you make this, feel free to add other chopped veggies that you like (like mushrooms!) or leave it as it is. I used a Rapunzel vegetarian bouillon cube for this recipe, but any vegetable broth will do, or if you must, chicken or beef broth.

Vegan Quinoa Stuffing
gluten, soy, dairy, nut free


2 cups quinoa, rinsed and soaked overnight**
1 Rapunzel Vegan Vegetable Bouillon with Sea Salt
4 cups water

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion
3 large cloves garlic or 6 small
2 cups chopped carrots
3 cups chopped celery
1 tsp rubbed sage
1 tsp cinnamon
1.5 tsp rosemary (lightly crushed)
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp Italian seasoning blend
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4-1/2 cup dried organic cranberries

optional:
sliced sauteed mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped parsley or cilantro
chopped pecans, walnuts, or pine nuts

**I soak my quinoa the night before, so it cooks a bit faster as well

• Heat oil and spices in a pot and stir continuously for one minute
• Add the onion and garlic, stir and cook for 5 minutes at medium/low heat. Add more olive oil if it looks too dry.
• Add the carrots and celery and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• While the veggies are cooking, prepare the quinoa:
• Rinse and strain the quinoa. Place 2 cups of boiling water in a small pot with the bouillon and stir until melted.
• Add another 2 cups of water and the quinoa
• Bring to boil then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the germ in the quinoa has come out, but it is not mushy (see pictures)
• When done cooking, add the cranberries and pour the quinoa into the big pot with the veggies, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking broth for later.
• Stir well and allow to sit- the liquid will become absorbed. A little before serving, you can add the rest of the reserved broth to keep it moist.

If you are looking for some other delicious ideas for Thanksgiving, here are a few of my other recipes that would be great for Thanksgiving or any fall/dinner meal:

Creamy Wild Rice and Chicken Casserole

Roasted Butternut Squash with Corn

Stuffed Butternut Squash

Stuffed Vegetables

Gluten Free Sweet Potato Pie

Dairy Free Cranberry Parfait

Gluten Free Apple Pie

Gluten Free Blueberry Pie

I have also submitted this recipe to November's 'Go ahead honey, it's gluten free!': Thanksgiving Dishes hosted by Brittany at Real Sustenance.

Wishing everyone a happy, healthy Thanksgiving!

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Ginger and Sesame Stir Fry with Kelp Noodles (gluten free, soy free, dairy free, grain free)

With my recent reduction in grain consumption has come more modifications and researching and wondering... What about noodles? I sometimes use sweet potato starch noodles that I get from the Asian grocery store by us, but someone also recommended Kelp Noodles to me and of course I was eager to try.  I recently found them on iHerb and quickly ordered a bunch!

If you're not familiar with iHerb.com, they're a great company that sells over 19,000 natural products and offers UPS Ground Shipping for free to orders over $40.00.  The best thing about them is that if you use my link or referral code, you'll get $5 off with your first order! In case you don't use the link, my referral code is "LEP856"
iHerb sells two types of kelp noodles for only $2.79 a bag:

Sea Tangle Kelp Noodles
Kelp Noodles with Organic Green Tea



 Kelp noodles are mineral-rich and totally raw, so you can eat them as is- they're crunchy and tasty. You just rinse them and toss with whatever you want. Or you can make them softer and enjoy as a regular noodle. To soften them, you can do a variety of things: either soak in lemon juice for about 10 minutes and rinse, dehydrate for about 20 minutes, or mix them with any sauce you cook and let it sit for a few minutes. The sauce will soften the noodles nicely.

This month's 'Go Ahead Honey, it's Gluten Free" is the Chinese Lantern Festival, hosted by The Daily Dietribe, and this is my submission.

Ginger and Sesame Stir Fry with Kelp Noodles 

(gluten free, soy free, dairy free, grain free)

Veggies
1/2 lb. broccoli, cut into florets
6 carrots, sliced
3 stalks celery, sliced
2 bell peppers, sliced
2 medium yellow onions, sliced
8 medium cloves garlic, chopped
3 Tbsp finely chopped ginger (or grated if you are opposed to ginger chunks)

Sauce
3 Tbsp sesame oil
6 Tbsp Coconut Aminos
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp Chinese five spice powder
1/8 tsp chili pepper (or more if you like it spicier)

1 lb organic chicken breast, sliced (optional)
4 Tbsp coconut oil

sesame seeds to taste
2 tsp corn starch (or other starch) melted in a bit of cold water (optional)
1 package Sea Tangle Kelp Noodles

Mix your sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Heat 2 Tbsp coconut oil in wok. Add 1 of your sliced onion and cook for a minute. Add 1/2 your chopped garlic and 1/2 your chopped ginger.  Stir for another minute, careful not to let them burn.  Add all of your veggies except for the bell pepper and mix well in the wok.  Add a few spoons of the sauce to coat the veggies while they cook.  As the sauce gets absorbed, continue to add a few spoons while it cooks, just don't let it form a pool on the bottom of the wok until you've added about 1/2 of the sauce. Cook until the veggies are soft but still firm and set aside.

In the same (now empty) wok, heat the rest of your coconut oil and add the other onion. Cook until soft, then add the rest of your garlic and ginger. Cook for a minute, then add your chicken and a few spoons of sauce.  Mix well and continue to cook until chicken is almost done. Add the rest of the sauce and the veggies to the chicken and mix well.  If you want the noodles mixed with the rest of the dish, add them in with the veggies so that they can become soft while they cook.  If you would like your sauce a bit thicker and coating the food, add the melted cornstarch now and stir well. Cook for a few minutes, serve, and sprinkle sesame seeds on top.  If you are enjoying the noodles separately, place them on the bottom of your bowl and cover with the stir fry. Enjoy!

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Stuffed Whole Butternut Squash

i love stuffing vegetables. for some reason i wondered if i could stuff a buternut squash and decided to go for the challenge.

the result? it worked. just a little tricky.

here's what i did-  i scrubbed the squash well and baked it in the oven until half cooked, then cut off the top and scooped out the seeds with a long spoon. stuffed it and baked it until done.

the result? i loved it- the flavors were great and the butternut flavor got inside the whole thing.

you can use your favorite stuffing or use my black eye pea one below-this one is vegetarian. i have another one HERE too that has meat or you can always add meat to this one if you want it, but i don't think it's necessary.

Stuffed Whole Butternut Squash

1 large butternut squash, baked whole
1 C Dried Black Eye Peas (soaked and cooked) or 1.5 Cups cooked
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
7 mini peppers (about 1 cup chopped)
2 TBSP coconut oil
1 cup organic carrots, chopped
1.5 tsp rosemary
1 tsp sage
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 cup broth
1/3 C dried cherries
1/3 C slivered almonds


Bake your butternut squash at 400 degrees F until it is halfway cooked (approximately 30 minutes, depending on the size). Here's the tricky part- you're going to want 2 halves to stuff, but each half will need a slice to put on top after you stuff it. So- Remove from oven and cut off the neck leaving part of the neck closest to the bottom on to save as a top for the lower part. Carefully cut off a slice from the bottom half and save it. Scoop out the seeds. With the top half: cut off a slice from the top and save, then scoop out the middle using a strong spoon.
 
Saute your onion and garlic in oil until soft. Add in carrots, peppers, dried cherries, and your spices and cook a few more minutes. Add in broth and black eye peas and simmer a few minutes. Turn off and stir in your slivered almonds. If the stuffing appears too dry, add in some more broth.

Stuff the stuffing into your squash, and replace the top and secure with toothpicks. If you have leftover stuffing, stuff whatever other veggies or fruit you have laying around. Bake in 350 degree oven for approximately 45 minutes or until squash is tender.

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Creamy Wild Rice and Chicken Casserole (gluten free, dairy free, soy free)

I've been watching the food network a lot recently, and saw this recipe on the show Cooking for Real... It looked super tasty, so I decided to adapt it and make it gluten and dairy free and changed it up a bit.

 

One thing the original recipe had in it was mushrooms- my husband isn't a fan so I took them out and added spinach. If you want to add them, cook them down and add it, but I personally would keep the spinach- it makes a great addition and makes it much healthier :)  The other thing is that this recipe could very easily be made vegetarian- take the chicken out, add the mushrooms or maybe tofu if you're into soy.

To see the original recipe, click Here

Ingredients

• 5 cups water
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 TBSP sea salt
• 2 boneless, organic skinless chicken breasts
• 1 1/3 cups wild rice
• 6 TBSP dairy free butter or coconut oil
• 6 TBSP coconut palm sugar
• 1 cup cranberries, fresh or frozen
• 1-2 TBSP chopped fresh rosemary leaves**
• 1/4 cup quinoa flakes, almond flour, or gluten free bread crumbs (I've used them all)
• Salt 
• 1 cup chopped organic carrots (2 large carrots)
• 2 cups frozen organic spinach
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cups coconut milk
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1-1.5 cups Daiya Mozarella "cheese"
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Oil a 9 x13" casserole dish.

In a large saucepan, combine the water, thyme, bay leaf, and salt and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the chicken and simmer until cooked through, about 15 minutes, depending on thickness of the chicken.

Remove the chicken to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, dice into 1/2" cubes and reserve.


Return the water to a boil, add the wild rice, and cover. Cook over medium heat until the rice grains split, 40 to 45 minutes. Drain the rice in a colander and set aside.


In a large saute pan, over medium heat, add 2 Tbsp of your oil/butter. When the butter is melted add the brown sugar, cranberries, rosemary, quinoa flakes/bread crumbs, and a pinch of salt. Stir until the coconut sugar is dissolved and the mixture is uniform. Transfer to the pot you cooked the rice in and set aside.

In the same large pan over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of your oil/butter. Add the spinach, onions, carrots, mushrooms (if you're using them) and a pinch of salt. Saute about 5 minutes. Add the coconut milk and the cinnamon, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer about 2 minutes to thicken slightly. Add the Daiya cheese and mix to incorporate. Add the rice and chicken to the pot and stir to combine. Season the mixture with salt and pepper, to taste, then transfer it to the prepared casserole dish.

Spread the cranberry mixture evenly over the top of the casserole and bake until golden and bubbling, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve hot.

Enjoy!

**in the pictures i used dry rosemary, but that was only the first time i made it. since then i've been using the fresh and loving it much more! Pin It Now!

stuffed vegetables

i should really be ashamed of myself for having such huge breaks between my posts, but let's just say i've been "busy." between work, sickness, becoming a doctor, finishing work, traveling, moving, and still unpacking, i've been taking a lot of pictures of food but not ever uploading them. so! hopefully i will start to get back into my blog (especially now that i'm unemployed at the moment ;))

here is something i made fairly recently-- stuffed vegetables. in homage to my persian side, i make these once in a while, but everytime it's a bit different. i usually make them vegetarian, but this time i used some nice grass fed organic beef. my recipe is to feed a small army, because i always feel that if i'm going to put that much work into it, i should freeze some of the stuffing for a later meal. i ended up putting away two bowls in the freezer for later, and i'm happy i did so... you can stuff just about anything. in this recipe i stuffed peppers and green apples. you can also do butternut squash (my favorite), zucchini, yellow squash, potatoes, etc...

(as always, this is the basic recipe that i play with, so feel free to up the spices to the combo you're happy with!)






Stuffed Vegetables

2 cups basmati rice
2 cups yellow split peas
3 Tbsp chopped garlic
1 lb organic beef
1 jumbo onion, chopped
2 Tbsp coconut oil
3 Tbsp cumin
3 Tbsp coriander
2 Tbsp saigon cinnamon
2 Tbsp salt+2 Tbsp for rice
1 Tbsp pepper
1 Tbsp hot sauce of your choice (i used Nando's wild herb)
1-2 Tbsp italian seasoning (or your own herb blend)
1/2 bunch chopped cilantro
1 large can of diced tomatoes
4 Tbsp lime juice
1/8 cup flavorful olive oil
(optional: chopped parsley)
vegetables of your choosing

In a small pot cook your rice (i boiled down the rice with 2 Tbsp salt). In another small pot cook the split peas (no salt!). Skim the foam off as it develops on the top. While the rice and peas are cooking, chop your onion and saute in oil. Add the garlic and stir for a minute or two. Add the beef to the onions, along with all of the seasonings. Cook until the beef is done. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the cooked rice, peas, and beef. Add the tomatoes, hot sauce, lime juice, olive oil, and cilantro and mix well. Taste and add more seasoning to your liking.

For the vegetables:

If stuffing peppers, cut off the tops and stuff, then replace the top and stick toothpicks in to keep the top in place.

For apples, cut of the top, scoop out the insides with a spoon and stuff. I like to scatter the insides around the cooking vegetables in the pyrex to give some more flavor to everything.

Baking:

Preheat the oven to about 375F when you start stuffing the veggies. Spray olive oil on your pyrex. Arrange the veggies standing up on the pyrex, and add some of the juice from the diced tomatoes as well as the insides of your vegetables around the stuffed ones. You can also add some stuffing around the veggies too. Cover with foil and place in the oven for approximately 30 minutes. Uncover and roast another 10 minutes or so or until they are done. They will be very hot, so sit back and admire before digging in :)

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