gluten free Archives - Page 10 of 13

Honey Roasted Chickpeas with Sea Salt {Garbanzo Beans}

May 15, 2013 ·

honey roasted chickpeas with sea salt | alidaskitchen.com

Honey Roasted Chickpeas with Sea Salt are a healthy, sweet and salty snack that is easy to make. They are high in fiber, protein-packed, gluten free, dairy free…and Adam can’t get enough of them (in other words, they’re toddler friendly too!)

Honey Roasted Chickpeas are made with only a few simple ingredients, and you most likely have everything you need already in your pantry. In fact, all you really need is one ingredient, and that’s the chickpeas. The additional ingredients are simply for flavoring, but roasted chickpeas are super crunchy and delicious straight from the oven. In this case I made them honey roasted with sea salt, however I have other variations in the works that I am excited to share with you soon!

Honey Roasted Chickpeas with Sea Salt

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients

15 ounce can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
1 tablespoon honey
½ tablespoon canola oil (or other neutral tasting oil)
sea salt, add to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Empty chickpeas into a colander. Rinse until no longer foamy and drain. Put chickpeas onto paper towels to pat dry. (Optional: remove skins from chickpeas. Not necessary, but I recommend it).
Place chickpeas in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes, or until chickpeas are crunchy. (If they're soft, put them back in for 5 minutes until crunchy).
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk honey and oil. Add hot chickpeas and toss to coat. Pour chickpeas back on lined baking sheet and return to the oven for 5 to 10 minutes, or until caramelized. Sprinkle with sea salt, as desired, and let cool. Store in an airtight container.

Notes

Slightly adapted from fitsugar.com

Filed Under: appetizers, gluten free, healthy, kid-friendly, Recipes, vegan Tagged With: baby/toddler, chickpeas, dairy free, easy, honey, quick, roasted, snack

Buffalo Chicken Quinoa Salad

April 30, 2013 ·

Buffalo Chicken Quinoa Salad is a delicious entree salad made with quinoa, broccoli, carrots, tossed with a healthier version of buffalo chicken. Quick and easy, perfect for a weeknight!

This Buffalo Chicken Quinoa Salad is darn near perfection. We start with warm, shredded chicken tossed in a lighter buffalo sauce; add sautéed vegetables and combine it with the ever trendy (and tasty!) quinoa. Sprinkle blue cheese (or cheddar) on top, as desired, and you’re looking at a delicious and healthy Buffalo Chicken Quinoa Salad.

Not only is this salad am-a-zing, but it can be made in under 30 minutes! The quinoa and chicken cook simultaneously, allowing plenty of time to prepare and sauté the vegetables and whisk together the sauce. Put it all together and dinner is served! (Leftovers make great lunches too)

Buffalo Chicken Quinoa Salad

Yields: 3 to 4 servings

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 cups vegetable broth (or water)
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 8 to 10 ounces) OR 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup broccoli florets
2 to 3 green onions chopped, whites and greens separated
Cooking spray
½ cup hot sauce (I recommend Frank's hot sauce)
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon salt
Optional toppings: blue cheese crumbles or shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

Make quinoa: In a medium sauce pan, put rinsed quinoa and vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes and then fluff quinoa with a fork.
Poach chicken: While the quinoa is cooking, place chicken in medium pot, and add enough water to cover chicken. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce to a simmer; cook for 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let chicken stand, covered until cooked through (about 12 to 14 minutes). Remove chicken from liquid and shred with 2 forks.
While quinoa and chicken are cooking, sauté the vegetables. Spray a nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium high heat. Add broccoli, carrots and the whites of green onions, and sauté for 5 minutes, or until desired crisp-tenderness. Set aside.
Make the sauce: Whisk together hot sauce, oil, lemon juice, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder and salt.
Pour ¼ cup sauce over shredded chicken, tossing to coat.
To a large bowl, add quinoa, chicken and vegetables, tossing to combine (You can add remaining sauce with this step OR drizzle as desired over each individual serving).
Sprinkle with remaining chopped green onion and serve.

I drew inspiration from this recipe and my Baked Buffalo Chicken Tenders recipe.

Filed Under: Favorites, gluten free, healthy, main dishes, Recipes, salad Tagged With: broccoli, buffalo, carrots, chicken, dinner, easy, onion, poach, quick, quinoa, sauté, spicy

healthy cocoa chocolate coconut date truffles balls

Healthy Chocolate Coconut Truffles

March 18, 2013 ·

Healthy Chocolate Coconut Truffles are an easy recipe made in minutes using only 3 ingredients with no added fat or sugar. {vegan, gluten free}

Healthy Chocolate Coconut Truffles have the delicious flavors of dark chocolate and coconut…all coming in around 60 calories and without any added sugar of fat. They are made using only 3 main ingredients (plus an optional ingredient which helps to deepen and intensify the chocolate flavor). Even better – they take only minutes to make. Intrigued? I certainly was when I first found the recipe but it took me over 9 months to make them. I am kicking myself that it took so long…they are so amazingly good!

Thankfully, it is time again for the second installment of the Eating the Alphabet Challenge, hosted by Brenda of Meal Planning Magic. Participating in this challenge was the extra push I needed to make these truffles. This month we’re featuring healthy recipes using fruits, vegetables, grains or legumes that start with letters C or D. Since Healthy Chocolate Coconut Truffles feature both coconut and dates, I’ve got both letters covered this month.

Healthy Chocolate Coconut Truffles

Yields: 20 truffles

Ingredients

8 ounces pitted dates (approx 1½ cups)
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons unsweetened flaked coconut
1 teaspoon espresso powder (optional)
¼ cup unsweetened flaked coconut, for rolling

Instructions

Put dates, cocoa, 3 tablespoons coconut and espresso powder in a food processor and puree until smooth. If mixture is too dry, add water by the teaspoonful (I needed about 3 teaspoons). If mixture becomes too wet, add more unsweetened coconut.
Scoop mixture by the tablespoonful and form 1-inch balls. Roll balls in remaining coconut.
Chill/store in refrigerator until ready to enjoy.

Source: Bon Appetit, June, 2012

Filed Under: dessert, gluten free, healthy, Recipes, vegan, vegetarian Tagged With: alphabet challege, chocolate, cocoa, coconut, dairy free, dates, easy, quick, truffles, vegan

Healthy Banana Cookies

February 17, 2013 ·

Healthy Banana Cookies are a chewy, fruit-filled cookie made using some of my favorite foods – oats, dates and bananas. They are made from simple, wholesome ingredients, have no butter and added sugar, thus making them a healthier choice. I love the simplicity of these cookies and have to admit these cookies made a delightful breakfast! These Healthy Banana Cookies also happen to be dairy free and can be gluten free.

Healthy Banana Cookies from Alida's Kitchen

I have had this at the top of my ‘to make’ pile for months just waiting for some super ripe bananas. While we always have plenty of super ripe bananas in the house, they’re typically reserved for Pumpkin Banana Muffins or Pumpkin Banana Pancakes (or Strawberry Banana Pancakes once strawberry season hits). Fortunately, I was a muffin and pancake making machine in advance of our new baby’s arrival, stocking the freezer full of Adam’s favorite banana goodies. With a stocked freezer and 3 very ripe bananas, it was finally my opportunity to try these Healthy Banana Cookies!

Healthy Banana Cookies

Yields: approx. 24 cookies

Ingredients

3 very ripe bananas
2 cups rolled oats (old-fashioned or quick cooking work fine)
1 cup (8 ounces) pitted dates, chopped
⅓ cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large bowl, mash bananas. Add oats, dates, oil, vanilla and cinnamon, and mix well. Let sit for 15 minutes.
Drop dough by rounded teaspoonful onto prepared cookie sheets. [Note: the cookies don't spread so you may want to shape them a bit]
Bake cookies for 20 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Let cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes and then move to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

These are best enjoyed the day after baking.

Coincidentally, this is also the first month of the Eating the Alphabet Healthy Recipe Challenge for 2013, hosted by Brenda of Meal Planning Magic. Each month, several bloggers will focus on healthy recipes featuring fruits, vegetables grains or legumes, from a couple different letters (this month it is A or B). I thought Healthy Banana Cookies would be the perfect healthy recipe to start off this fun series.

Filed Under: breakfast, dessert, gluten free, healthy, kid-friendly, Popular, Recipes Tagged With: alphabet challege, baby/toddler, banana, cookies, dairy free, dates, easy

Baked Balsamic Chicken

February 7, 2013 ·

Baked Balsamic Chicken is wholesome, easy and delicious! This dish can be customized to use whatever herbs you like (or have on hand) and is perfectly paired with Minute® Multi-Grain Medley! Thank you Minute® Rice for sponsoring this post.

This Baked Balsamic Chicken recipe has been a family favorite for years. The recipe was created when Greta was first born over 3 years ago and has been a regular feature on the dinner rotation ever since. The marinade takes minutes to prepare and then is poured in a zip-top bag with the chicken. Let that sit in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake. Then you just pour the chicken and marinade in a baking dish and bake. Simple!

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Filed Under: Featured, gluten free, healthy, kid-friendly, main dishes, Popular, Recipes Tagged With: baked, balsamic, chicken, dairy free, dinner, easy, marinade, quick

Chipotle-Glazed Roast Chicken with Sweet Potatoes

January 25, 2013 ·

baked chipotle chicken with roasted sweet potatoes

I found this recipe for Chipotle-Glazed Roast Chicken with Sweet Potatoes during a sleepless night over the summer. While it sounded absolutely delicious, it didn’t quite scream “summer” to me…so I saved it for a more seasonably appropriate time. After many months of anticipation, I am happy to report this recipe was definitely worth the wait!

First you give the potatoes a head start by cooking them until they start to get tender. The timing on this may vary based on the size you cut your potatoes or your oven, but unless you like crunchy potatoes, this step is key to the success of the recipe. Meanwhile, you can whip up the sauce/rub and prepare the chicken. Then you just put the chicken on top of the potatoes and pop it in the oven to bake until the chicken is done. This recipe really could not be any simpler. The result is a light and healthy dish that is sweet, spicy and delicious!

Chipotle-Glazed Roast Chicken with Sweet Potatoes

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients

2 sweet potatoes (10 ounces each) cut into ½-inch cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, minced
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt, plus additional to taste
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 4 4-ounce portions
2-3 green onions, chopped (optional, for garnish)
Cooking spray

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a roasting or baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.
In a medium bowl, toss sweet potatoes with olive oil and pour in the bottom of roasting/baking pan. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes (tossing after 10 minutes), until potatoes being to get tender.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine chiles, garlic, honey, vinegar, salt, cumin, and cinnamon. Rub mixture over chicken breasts.
Place chicken breasts on top of sweet potatoes and roast until chicken is cooked thoroughly, about 25 to 30 minutes. Serve garnished with green onions.

Adapted from Fitness Magazine

Filed Under: gluten free, healthy, main dishes, Recipes Tagged With: chicken, chipotle, easy, honey, roasted, sweet potato

Ginger Chicken Satay

August 30, 2012 ·

Chicken Satay is one of my favorite chicken dishes. While I doubt there will ever be anything that comes close my favorite recipe, I enjoy experimenting with different versions from time to time. The thing that caught my eye in this particular version was the interesting use of pineapple juice.

The result was a subtle yet delicious Ginger Chicken Satay. The flavors are mild yet interesting. The pineapple juice isn’t obvious, but was indeed a tasty addition. The heat can obviously be adjusted to taste with the crushed red pepper. I’m not really a skewer fan, so I just grill the chicken directly instead of threading it on skewers. If you want to do skewers, then cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces before marinating. Then thread the chicken on the skewers once you are ready to fire up the grill.

Ginger Chicken Satay

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenders
1 cup pineapple juice
6 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons red-wine vinegar
2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Crushed red pepper, adjust to taste

Instructions

Put the chicken in Ziploc bag.
In medium bowl, combine pineapple juice, peanut butter, sugar, vinegar, ginger, garlic and crushed red pepper. Pour the marinade over chicken in the Ziploc bag. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to overnight.
Preheat grill (or grill pan) to medium high. Cook chicken 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until chicken is cooked through. Serve with additional crushed red pepper, if desired.

Adapted from Fitness, May, 2011

Filed Under: gluten free, healthy, main dishes, Recipes Tagged With: chicken, dinner, grilled, peanut butter, pineapple, satay, summer

Grilled Lemon Chicken with Parsley Sauce

August 15, 2012 ·

Grilled Lemon Chicken with Parsley Sauce is a light and healthy dish that tastes like summer. Plus it’s a great way to use some of the parsley that may be taking over your herb garden! The lemon in the chicken is subtle and fresh tasting, which serves as a nice contrast to the tangy parsley sauce. The marinade is quick and easy to make, using simple ingredients, and then pop the chicken in the refrigerator until you’re ready to grill. As with any citrus marinade, it acts quickly so can be grilled within 15 minutes. I’ve also let the chicken marinate overnight, and that works fine too. For the parsley sauce, I just toss everything in my Magic Bullet (which I love any excuse to use!), and it’s done in a minute. Easy!

Grilled Lemon Chicken with Parsley Sauce

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients

Chicken:
zest of 1 lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
⅛ teaspoon granulated sugar
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken tenders or breasts (4 4-ounce breasts)
Sauce:
⅔ cup parsley
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped shallot
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Instructions

Prepare marinade: In a bowl, whisk together zest, juice, oil, garlic, salt, pepper and sugar until combined.
Put chicken in a Ziploc bag and pour marinade over chicken. Shake to coat and put in the refrigerator to marinate until ready to use (at least 15 minutes to overnight).
Prepare sauce: In a blender, add parsley, oil, shallot, vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper, and juice. Blend until smooth (about 1 minute).
Preheat grill. Place chicken on grill (discard marinade) and cook chicken on 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until thoroughly cooked.
Serve chicken with a drizzle of sauce and garnish as desired. (Store any leftover marinade in the refrigerator).

Adapted from Health, July, 2006

Filed Under: gluten free, healthy, main dishes, Recipes Tagged With: chicken, dinner, easy, grilled, lemon, marinade, parsley, sauce, summer

Black Bean Brownies

August 8, 2012 ·

Black beans and brownies…sounds crazy right? Well, as many have discovered, using black beans in place of flour is a clever way to make brownies a bit healthier (and gluten free) without sacrificing a delicious chocolaty, rich-tasting dessert. Black Bean Brownies have been on my list of things to make for years, and had I realized how easy they are to make, they would have been made a long time ago! Essentially you just throw everything in a food processor (or blender), process for a minute, pour in pan and bake.

Then comes the true test…how are they? Amazing! Mike and I were both excited to try them and very pleasantly surprised how good they are (or were…the brownies are long gone!) They have a deep chocolate flavor, a not quite cakey and not quite fudgy texture, and were some of the best brownies I’ve had in a long time!

Black Bean Brownies

Yields: 16 servings

Ingredients

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
3 eggs
3 tablespoons canola oil
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅔ cup brown sugar, packed
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
Cooking spray (or additional oil)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray (or brush with oil) and set aside.
Put black beans in a food processor and process until smooth.
Add eggs, oil, cocoa, baking powder, vanilla and brown sugar, and process until completely blended. (Note: You may need to stop and scrape down the sides a couple times during this step).
Add ¼ cup chocolate chips and pulse 5 times.
Pour mixture in prepared baking dish. Sprinkle top with remaining chocolate chips.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Put on a wire rack and let cool completely before serving.

Source: Whole Living

Filed Under: dessert, Featured, gluten free, healthy, Recipes Tagged With: black beans, brown sugar, brownies, chocolate, easy, quick

Chicken and Potatoes with Mustard Vinaigrette

July 31, 2012 ·

With temperatures hitting record highs this summer, I am always happy to be able to cook a quick and healthy dinner that does require turning on the oven. This Chicken and Potatoes with Mustard Vinaigrette can be made on the stovetop in less than 30 minutes. It’s served over a bed of fresh baby spinach, making it healthy and delicious. I’d say this dish fits the bill of quick and healthy, making it a perfect dinner!

I actually found this recipe in a magazine at least 10 years ago and gave it to my mom. She has made it regularly ever since, and everybody is happy when she has it on the menu. This salad became an instant family favorite! While the original recipe calls for rotisserie chicken, my mom bakes chicken breasts and shreds them. In this recipe, I poached the chicken. The original recipe calls for watercress, but the spinach gives the salad a bit more substance. Arugula would also be a tasty substitution. Basically what I’m telling you is that this recipe is flexible. Go with what works for you to make this a family favorite of your own.

Chicken and Potatoes with Mustard Vinaigrette

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 pound small red potatoes
salt
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon honey
black pepper, to taste
4 tablespoons olive oil
10 ounces fresh baby spinach

Instructions

Put chicken in a large sauce pan and then add enough water to cover the chicken. Add a couple pinches of salt. Bring liquid to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for about 5 minutes. Then cover, remove from heat and let sit for 12 to 15 minutes, or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.
While the chicken is cooking, put potatoes and 1 tablespoon salt in a medium sauce pan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
While chicken and potatoes are cooking, whisk together mustard, vinegar, garlic, honey, and pepper in a small bowl. Gradually add oil, whisking constantly until incorporated. (Note: I then pour vinaigrette into a cruet for ease of pouring).
Once chicken is cooked, transfer to a separate bowl. Drizzle 2 tablespoons vinaigrette over warm chicken and let sit for a minute to soak in. Then use 2 forks to shred chicken.
Cut cooked potatoes into quarters (or halves, depending on size).
Place spinach in a large serving bowl. Add potatoes and chicken, and toss to combine. Serve immediately, drizzling with additional vinaigrette as desired.

Notes

You can add the vinaigrette to the serving bowl and toss, but I prefer to let others control the amount of dressing on their salad. For me, a little goes a long way!

Adapted from Real Simple