Peanutty Chicken with Eggplant and Red Pepper

Day four of being wheat-free and so far I feel great. It hasn't been an issue to walk past the bread aisle. I haven't really craved bread or pasta yet - I just head for rice-related foods if I need a starch, like I did for tonight's meal. I wanted something warm, creamy and spicy - and the peanuts added a nice crunch. I decided to use red pepper for the vegetable, which I diced and sauteed with the chicken and garlic in a mixture of peanut and walnut oils. I then added a can of coconut milk, leftover eggplant slices I cut into one-inch strips, and a packet of peanut sauce mix from Taste of Thai. It's gluten-free and the ingredients on the back looked good to me.

 

For good measure I put a dollap of creamy organic peanut butter, some red pepper flakes and spoonful of sweet curry powder. The eggplant really soaked up the flavors in a tofu-like way and was a great addition to this stir-fry. The sauce was thick, creamy, sweet and spicy at the same time. I could have added chunked potatoes, carrots and green beans - but honestly it was great with just the red pepper and eggplant. Served with brown rice, it was a tasty treat to whip together in minutes.



Peanutty Chicken with Eggplant and Red Pepper

2 T each walnut oil, sesame oil
1 pound of sliced and chunked chicken breast
1 minced garlic clove
1 chopped red pepper
1 can coconut milk (I like Thai Kitchen)
1 packet of Taste of Thai peanut sauce
6 slices of eggplant, chopped into 1-inch "fingers", about one cup
1-2 t red pepper flakes, depending on how hot you like it
1 T sweet curry
2 T creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup of roasted, salted peanuts
Salt to taste (I didn't need it, but I used lemon marinated chicken)

Saute the chicken in the oil over high heat (but not quite the highest), adding the garlic and red pepper after a few minutes, when chicken isn't pink. When chicken is browning, after a few more minutes, add the can of coconut milk, mixing in the peanut butter,pepper flakes, curry and packet of peanut sauce (there are two in one package, so you'll have one left for next time!). Salt if needed and serve over brown rice - or by itself as a creamy soup - and sprinkle with peanuts. Enjoy!

Crispy Baked Eggplant Parmesan - Wheat-free!

Crispy baked eggplant parmesan with a tomato salad

It wasn't a rough first day being wheat-free. In fact, the first day was so delicious I may have to repeat it today - after all I do have leftovers...The eggplant, breaded in a mixture of ground golden flaxseed and pepper; the fresh mozerella balls and grape tomatoes, marinated in a homemade vinaigrette over a small salad. I mean really, who wouldn't want those leftovers? Just stick the eggplant in the oven so it will re-crisp itself. Ahhh, crispy eggplant slices: the mark of an excellent eggplant parmesan. I've tried frying and baking the slices using all types of breading: Saltine cracker crumbs, flour, whole wheat bread crumbs, soy flour, almond meal, panko bread crumbs, no breading...The list goes on, because crispy eggplant parm is the difference between an amazing eggplant parmesan and a mushy casserole. I had just about given up on baking eggplant parm because frying the slices in olive oil crisped them up nicely and baking just didn't compare. I practically expected the baked flaxmeal coating to fall short. But not only were egg-washed, breaded and peeled 1/4 inch slices crunchy, exposing soft tender eggplant "meat" inside the baked slices, it had a slightly nutty flavor that was delicious. I used two cups of two cheeses instead of the one cup of provolone that Davis called for, and it was the perfect amount of cheese for me. In addition to the 1/2 cup of fresh grated parmesan Davis called for, I used cheddar cheese on top because I ran out of the shredded moz, parm and provolone cheeses. My adapted recipe is at the end of the post.

Davis' suggestion to bake the slices on a cookie sheet for 40 minutes, turning halfway through, was spot on. I will make this dish again and again because I've finally found a healthy baked version that is better than the fried version using ground Saltines and spices (sorry grandma). Serve the dish with a salad that's going to compliment the flavors of the basil-rich tomato sauce (also an excellent idea by Davis: mixing pesto with tomato sauce). I made up a quick vinaigrette of extra-virgin olive oil, vinegar, mustard, garlic and salt and pepper. Fresh basil wouldn't hurt, but I didn't have any. Submerge the fresh mozerella balls, grape tomatoes and sundried tomatoes in the dressing for a good half hour or longer. Nestle them on bed of fresh greens, and drizzle with the dressing. You won't even miss the garlic bread.

I woke up feeling invigorated and clear-headed after that amazing meal. For breakfast, I had my old stand-by juice: carrot, apple, beet, kale, ginger and lemon juice.

Water and coffee followed. I got a slight headache a couple of hours later (wheat addiction?) so I decided to heat up some zesty Indian-spiced lunch to knock out the headache, which it did. Bombay Potatoes from Tasty Bite was a quick, easy, healthy and wheat-free meal.

Baked Eggplant Parmesan (adapted from Wheat Belly Cookbook Recipes, p. 192, Davis)

2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup ground golden flaxseeds
1/2 t pepper
2 T ground ground parmesan (optional)
2 medium eggplants, peeled and cut into 1/4" slices
Extra Virgin Olive oil to drizzle
1 jar (24 oz) Paul Newman spicy basil tomato sauce
1/2 cup basil pesto
2 cup shredded provolone and mozerella
1/2 cup fresh shredded parmesan
1 cup shredded cheese of your choice for topping (I used cheddar cheese)

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a cookie sheet. Dip eggplant slices in egg mixture then dredge in flaxseed, pepper and parm mixture, shaking off any excess. Arrange on cookie sheet, drizzle approximately 3 T of olive oil over slices, and bake for about 40 minutes, checking after 15 minutes to see if they need flipped (they will be golden). Flip and drizzle with more olive oil, if desired. Mix tomato sauce and pesto til combined. In a 9x9 pan, spoon a thin layer of sauce on bottom and add slices to form first of two layers. Add half the sauce and cheeses, repeating layer until finishing with one cup of cheese on top. Bake an additional 20 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and crispy looking around edges. Serve with tomato salad with vinaigrette mentioned in post, using (roughly) 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup vinegar, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 T mustard, salt and pepper to taste.

I'll Give it a Wheat Belly Try

 

Ginger Spice Cookies from Wheat Belly

So I just received a box in the mail filled with a new juice extractor, Wheat Belly by William Davis, and Wheat Belly Cookbook with 150 Recipes. To say I'm inspired is an understatement, and I've decided to do a little experiment and do the wheat-free thing for 45 days, cooking a recipe from either of the books and tracking my progress. I'm stoked to do it, especially after reading how eliminating wheat from your diet can help with weight loss, alleviation of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes, improvement in cholesterol and LDL counts, and cessation of skin conditions - not to mention reduction of inflammation and rheumatoid arthritis pain, recovery from intestinal issues like celiac disease and ulcerative colitis, and improvement in bone density. It doesn't surprise me that Davis lists GMOs (Genetically Modified Organism) as the culprit as to why wheat wreaks havoc on our systems - the wheat of our grandmothers wasn't the same as the genetically altered, mass-produced wheat of today. If you want to read more, buy the book - I'm hear to write my reactions to the recipes and track how I feel. I'm on Day One today, a gorgeous Saturday, and I woke up late and made myself a vegetable and fruit juice, which has sustained me all day. I was excited to try out my new juicer, as the Waring Pro Juice Extractor was only $50 on Amazon, and I wondered if I would regret not spending the $100 to $250 for a fancier juicer. But, after juicing a beet, an apple, two carrots, four red kale leafs, half a lemon, and a thumb of ginger; I concluded that the juicer was a keeper. Sure there were a few little chunks left behind when I cleaned out the machine, but it was less noisy than the juicer I bought at a thrift store for $5 in Durango and a half the size! Also easier to clean. I didn't eat until a few hours later, and wondered if I'd feel deprived not being able to grab a sandwich. No sweat - luckily I had some Amy's Organics Spicy Chili. Very tasty with shredded cheddar and a dollap of sour cream. And GMO and gluten free!

At any rate, I flipped through the cookbook and settled on an old stand-by I love to cook: Eggplant Parmesan. It's on page 192 of the Wheat Belly Cookbook recipes, and uses a cup of ground golden flaxseeds and black pepper as a coating instead of the more traditional flour-based breading. Interestingly enough, Davis has you bake the slices of eggplant first, then assemble the casserole. I was intrigued, and decided that was supper. But what is supper without dessert? Ahhh...The Ginger Spice Cookies, on page 261 of Wheat Belly. I had the coconut flour already, but needed to get some walnut oil and desiccated coconut.

The store did not have the desiccated coconut, which is less moist than unsweetened shredded coconut, so I just got the organic finely shredded coconut and called it a day. The sweetners were sugar-free Torianni vanilla syrup and Stevia in the raw packets (about 10). He had a slew of other sweetners listed, but that's what I had, so I used it (and I know it's an acceptable substitute, not like it's Equal or something). The cookies turned out great! He gave a choice of what kind of liquid to use - either coconut milk or sour cream - and I chose the latter. I also used the Walnut oil instead of melted butter because it sounded healthier to me, and with a cup of chopped walnuts in the cookies, I figured the flavors would meld nicely. And they did! These cookies were so light and airy - almost like little cakes. You have to spoon them out and press them, shape them practically. I might try adding a bit of apple sauce next time to see if it moistens them just a tad. But overall, I'm really pleased. Now I have to run to the store for ground golden flaxseeds to get the eggplant going. I'm taking it to a friend's house. Tune in tomorrow for the results.

 

Carmelized Pear French Toast Bake





I came up with this recipe when I simultaneously got a craving for French Toast and needed to use up a loaf of raisin bread. After looking over a few recipes, I snatched the best ideas and ran with it. One called for slicing and coating pears in a buttery brown sugar sauce while another used twice as much liquid, as well as a topping. I took a reviewers tip and poured the topping over the pan near the end of the baking cycle, which allowed it to retain some of the goo factor. This is prepped at night then baked off in the morning. The sausage patty gives a nice balance of salt to the sweet. Bacon would also work.

1 buttered 9x13" pan
1 loaf of raisin bread, torn or chopped into one-inch pieces
3 peeled and thinly sliced pears
3 T butter + 1 stick butter
1/2 c butter + 1 c brown sugar
2 c half and half
8 eggs
1 1/2 t cinnamon
1 T vanilla

Scatter half the bread chunks into pan. Melt 3 T butter and 1/2 c brown sugar in pan and simmer for one minute, add pear slices and mix til coated. Add the pear slices to the pan in one layer, then top with the rest of the bread crumbs. Whip half and half, eggs, cinnamon and vanilla, then pour evenly into pan. Cover with plastic wrap overnight in fridge. The next morning, preheat the oven to 350. Using a spatula, flip the french toast bake over (in pieces) so the soggy bread crumbs are on top and the drier ones on the bottom, smoothing with spatula if needed. Bake in 350 oven for about a half hour. Meanwhile, melt stick of butter and cup of brown sugar, boil a minute or two until thick then pour over top of French Toast Bake. Bake for 15 more minutes, til French Toast is lightly browned and sauce is crisping around edges. Serve with sausages or bacon.





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White Chili with Green Chili

New Year of Healthy Eating: White Chicken Chili w Green Chili

It's the New Year once again, when vows of healthy eating are renewed - and not a moment too soon after all the glorious feasting of Thanksgiving and Christmas. This chili is a great way to jump start that resolution while leaving behind any feeling of deprivation associated with the "D" word - it truly satisfies. Although it's mixed in at the very end, fresh cilantro is an important part of the nutritional value of this chili. It detoxifies the blood and is a good source of antioxidants, actually removing heavy metals from the body. Chicken provides the needed lean protein - I use organic whenever possible. Great Northern beans are low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium; and.are also a good source of fiber, protein, folate, magnesium, phosphorus and manganese. Green chili is a great source of vitamin C, vitamin A and potassium, as are the shallots. Shallots are also a good source of folate, vitamin B6 and manganese, while garlic has been proven to lower blood pressure and aid digestion. Finally, cayenne increases metabolism.
In short, your body - and soul - will thank you for this delicious soup.

White Chicken Chili w Green Chili

3 chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs)
3 cups chicken broth
2 4oz cans of green chili or 8 oz frozen Hatch Green Chile (always preferred)
2 shallots
6 cloves garlic
2 t olive oil
1 t oregano
1 t cayenne
1 T cumin
2 cans white beans ( I used Great Northern)
1 bunch cilantro
pepper jack cheese

Bake salted and peppered chicken breasts at 350 til done - about 20 minutes. De-glaze pan with 2 cups chicken broth. Add 2 4oz cans of green chili, chopped. Shred chicken and set aside.
In a bigger pan/Dutch oven, sauté minced shallots and garlic in olive oil til soft over medium-high heat. Add spices and mix with wooden spoon for 30 seconds, being careful not to scorch. Add remaining cup of broth and simmer for 5 minutes. Add chicken-green chile mixture and 1 can of beans. Puree remaining can of beans and add to chili to thicken. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 more minutes. Serve with a 1/4 cup chopped cilantro mixed into individual bowls of soup and top with shredded pepper jack, to taste.

Oh Eggplant!

I've been watching you grow in the garden - first, from the tiny shrub that was mostly all leaves, to a small bush that sprouted purple flowers.

From the flower erupted a small purple fruit the size of an acorn, to a baseball that grew longer and wider and more purple with each passing day.
I couldn't wait, so when a few of your kind went on sale at the grocery store, I decided to practice one of my all-time favorite dishes: Eggplant Parmesan.

Peeled, sliced and fried in olive oil, you are layered with tomato sauce and provolone, parmesan and mozzarella cheeses, then baked to golden brown and bubbly perfection.

Eggplant Parmigan:
2 medium sized eggplants, peeled and sliced 1/2 inch thick
 2 cups of mozzarella
1 cup of the parmesan
8 oz  of provolone slices

Soak eggplant slices in salt water for at least 30 minutes and rinse well (optional to soak if using fresh).
Pat dry, dip in an egg wash, then rolled and crushed Saltines. Fry slices in olive oil til golden, about two minutes per side if using medium high heat. Let sit on paper towels to soak up oil.
Layer a 9x13 pan with your favorite tomato sauce, slices and the mixture of parmesan, mozzarella and provolone  cheeses, ending with Parmesan cheese on top.


Or, try the eggplant just fried, with a salad:

Oh eggplant - you're a meal that can't be beat.