I love chickpea brownies and carob chip cookies but it never occurred to me to use them in a frozen “ice cream” until I saw a recipe on Pinterest. I’ve had to adapt it slightly to omit the nut butter and chocolate but it is very delicious, lusciously smooth and creamy. I added some carob powder but flavor it any way you like – some strong coffee in place of half the non-dairy milk, carob chips, or using various seed or nut butters will add various flavors. Also, using various extracts or oils could add different flavors, instead of vanilla extract, use some mint, orange, lemon, or even butterscotch flavored extracts.
In the bowl of a blender place:
1 15 ounce can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
1/2 cup dates (I used chopped but if using whole dates, be sure to soak them if they’re dried so that they will break down in the blender)
1/4 cup seed butter – tahini, pumpkin seed, sunflower seed, etc.
1/3 cup protein powder (any kind or flavor)
1/4 cup carob powder
1 cup non-dairy milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Blend until the dates are broken down and the mixture is smooth. If one is available, put mixture into an ice cream freezer for 30-40 minutes and then transfer to individual serving dishes to freeze or eat immediately. If an ice cream freezer isn’t available, transfer to individual serving dishes and freeze for 1-2 hours or until you want to eat it!
I do love chicken and I especially like creamed chicken. I find it a very satisfying dish, probably because of the combination of cream sauce, vegetables, and tender chicken. This recipe can be made with any type of pasta you like – from lentil spirals to egg noodles, spaghetti or heart of palm linguini like I used.
Grease an 8 cup (10x8x5″minimum) casserole dish and set aside. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a high-sided pan, over medium heat:
2 tablespoons olive oil
When hot (shimmering) add:
3 medium shallots, sliced
4-6 ounces of mushrooms, sliced (any type will work, I used shitake)
Salt, garlic powder and pepper to taste (about 2 shakes of salt and garlic powder and one dash of pepper)
Cook until mushrooms begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Add:
8 ounces of boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1″ pieces (approximately)
Salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste (as above)
Cook, stirring frequently until chicken is well browned, about 3 minutes. Stir into the pan:
1 tablespoon all-purpose, gluten-free flour
If there is still oil showing, add a little more so that all the oil is absorbed. Cook stirring for about 1 minute to cook the flour taste out of the mixture. Add:
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup non-dairy milk (any EXCEPT soy)
Stir constantly until the sauce thickens and the chicken is cooked through, depending on how cold the liquids are, 3-6 minutes. Add:
1/2 cup frozen peas
2 cups cooked pasta
1/2 cup grated non-dairy parmesan cheese*
When peas are heated through, transfer mixture to the casserole dish. Sprinkle top with mixture of:
1/4 cup gluten-free bread crumbs
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons grated non-dairy parmesan cheese
Be sure to mix the oil and bread crumbs together before adding to the top of the casserole. Bake uncovered 20 minutes or until topping is browned (broil for 2-3 minutes if preferred). Serves 4.
*Any non-dairy cheese that your family enjoys will work in the recipe such as provolone or cheddar.
I know, again with the chicken! But there are just so many delicious ways to cook chicken and here’s another one. Easy and quick to make with pre-cooked chicken, this casserole covers all the bases with protein, starch and vegetables all in one mouth-watering package. So if you have some chicken (thighs, drums, breasts whatever) or leftover rotisserie chicken, this is a great way to use it up that your family will enjoy.
Make sure your oven rack is in the upper half of the oven. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease a 9×13 casserole (or spray with non-stick spray). Over medium high heat, heat a medium sized Dutch oven and add:
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 slices of bacon, diced
Cook bacon until it’s crisp. If you don’t want to eat the bacon fat, drain it before adding:
1 tablespoon olive oil (3 tablespoons if you drained the bacon fat off)
1 medium onion, diced
3-4 celery stalks, diced
1 cup thinly sliced carrots (or shredded)
1 cup frozen peas
Reduce heat to medium and cook until vegetables are softened. Stir into the vegetables:
1/4 cup gluten-free, all-purpose flour (I had to use 1/3 cup to absorb all the oil)
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup non-dairy milk (anything EXCEPT soy)*
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried sage
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Stir, being sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to get all those wonderful drippings from the bacon. Cook, stirring frequently until sauce is thickened, about 3-5 minutes. Add:
3 cups diced or shredded chicken
3 cups diced and cooked potatoes (I used a mix of sweet and Russet potatoes)
Turn off heat. Pour (or ladle like I had to) the chicken mixture into the prepared casserole dish. In a medium bowl combine:
1 cup gluten-free bread crumbs
2 tablespoons avocado oil
Using a fork, mix thoroughly so that the bread crumbs are combined with the oil. Add:
1 cup gluten-free French-fried onions (or forget the bread crumbs and just use onions, oh so tasty!)
Spread the bread crumb mixture evenly over the casserole and bake for 15-20 minutes. Cool slightly before serving. Serves 6-8 generously.
*The original recipe called for cream. Silk now makes a non-dairy cream which you could use in place of the non-dairy milk for a richer sauce. The Silk cream is coconut based.
My grandson loves Brussel sprouts so for Christmas this year instead of simply steaming them, I decided to try something different. Quite an easy dish to make, these roasted sprouts get quite crunchy which only adds to the delicious combination of sprouts and bacon! I’m sorry I didn’t get a photo before we ate them all.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium size bowl combine:
1-1 1/2 pounds Brussel sprouts, trimmed and halved
2 small to medium red onions, peeled and cut into good sized pieces
1 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
Toss to coat all the sprouts. TIP: I generally toss the sprouts before adding the olive oil. Spread mixture out onto large baking sheet in a single layer. TIP: I like to make sure all the sprouts are cut side down so they get extra crispy. Cut into thin strips:
1/2 pound bacon
Sprinkle the bacon strips over the Brussel sprouts and bake for 30-35 minutes until bacon is cooked and the sprouts are nicely browned. The onions will also be nicely caramelized. Serves 4-6. Serve warm.
This recipe requires a few steps but is easy enough to make just not a quick. But the flavor of the white sauce (same one we made for the ratatouille lasagna) combined with the sauteed chicken breast and asparagus is so divine that the effort is worth the end result!
First, make the pizza dough by combining in a medium bowl:
1 1/2 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
Stir to combine. In a small bowl whisk:
1 1/2 teaspoons yeast
1 tablespoon honey (or agave, etc.)
1 cup warm water (about 105 degrees, should feel neutral on your wrist)
Let the yeast mixture sit for 5-15 minutes. It should become foamy and smell yeasty. If this doesn’t happen, begin again because your dough won’t rise. When it’s ready add:
1/4 cup olive oil
Whisk to combine and pour over the dry ingredients. Mix thoroughly. This dough will be quite loose like a thick cake mixture. Cover and set aside to rise for about 1 hour.
While the crust dough is resting, heat over medium heat in a 10″ skillet:
1 tablespoon olive oil
When shimmering add:
1 medium size chicken breast (4-5 ounces), thinly sliced
Salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste
Cook the chicken breast about a minute per side depending on how thinly it’s sliced. Remove from skillet to a plate and add to the skillet:
1 medium red onion sliced and halved
1 pound asparagus, washed, trimmed, and cut into 1″ pieces
Reduce heat to medium, stirring often, cook until onions and asparagus are softened but not thoroughly cooked.
Now make the sauce by combining in a medium (2 quart) saucepan:
1 1/2 cup non-dairy milk (any milk EXCEPT soy)
Slurry made with 3 tablespoons gluten-free all-purpose flour mixed with 1/2 non-dairy milk
Whisk to combine before adding:
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/8 (a dash) nutmeg or allspice
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Heat over medium heat, whisking often. When you see the milk is getting hot, whisk constantly as the sauce thickens. Let cook several minutes over low heat to be sure the flour is cooked. Stir in:
4 ounces shredded parmesan cheese, about 1 cup (or other cheese you prefer)
Stir to combine. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. When dough has risen, grease a large cookie sheet and pour the crust dough onto the sheet. Using wet hands or a scrapper/spatula, spread evenly over the cookie sheet getting it as thin as possible. Because this dough is more the consistency of a cake batter than a pizza dough, it cooks up like a cake batter and will get light and fluffy so get it as thin as possible. Let the dough rest for 15 minutes before baking the crust 8-10 minutes until set.
Spread the crust with the white sauce. Arrange the chicken, asparagus pieces and onion on top of the pizza crust on top of the sauce. If like me, you like more sauce, you can add more on top of the chicken and asparagus. Bake for another 12-15 minutes until the sauce is bubbly and the crust is browned along the edges.
Chicken is one of my staple proteins. I had some chicken breasts in my fridge that needed to be used but I didn’t have time today to do a lot with it. Chicken soup I thought! Quick, easy, not too much work. Then I thought about the lemon beurre blanc sauce I made a few nights ago to go with some fish and thought I love chicken and lemon. It won’t be too hard to put them together. This soup is the outcome of that thought process. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
First, heat a small Dutch oven over medium high heat. When it gets hot, add:
1 tablespoon olive oil
When the oil is shimmering add:
1 small onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1/2 cup shredded carrots
3-4 ounces sliced mushrooms (any kind you like)
Stir to combine and let cook reducing heat to medium until the vegetables begin to soften. Add:
6-8 ounces white meat chicken, cut into bite size pieces
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Stir so the chicken goes to the bottom of the pot, or as much as possible. When chicken is browned, add:
2 teaspoons minced garlic
approximately 1 tablespoon lemon zest (zest of one large lemon)
3 cups chicken stock
8 ounces of small pasta like elbows (I used green lentil safari)
8 ounces whole chickpeas
Stir to combine, cover, reduce heat to medium low so that the stock is on a low boil to cook the chicken and pasta, about 12-15 minutes. While it’s cooking combine in a small bowl (2 cups):
1/4 cup lemon juice (juice from one large lemon)
1/2 cup oat milk
2-3 tablespoons gluten-free all-purpose flour
Whisk to combine the flour. When the pasta and chicken are cooked, add:
1/2 to 1 cup frozen peas
Cook for 3-5 minutes longer to cook the peas before adding the milk mixture. If necessary pour the milk mixture through a small sieve to keep any flour lumps out of the soup. Stir the soup to mix in the flour and continue stirring for 2-3 minutes while the stock thickens and the flour cooks. Stir in:
2 tablespoons honey
Salt and pepper to taste
Serves 4.
Of course you can add any vegetables your family likes. Asparagus would work very well in this soup as it goes great with lemon. And rice would work as well as pasta depending on taste.
This is a very quick and easy pudding to make and tastes creamy and rich just like one made with milk and cream. I garnished mine with roasted pumpkin seeds but if you can have one of the plant based whipped creams, that would work even better.
Put in a medium saucepan (2 quart):
2 cups oat milk (any milk EXCEPT soy would work)
about 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup carob powder
1/4 cup agave nectar (or 1/3 cup honey or date syrup)
Whisk until well blended. Place over medium high heat. In a small bowl whisk:
1/2 cup oat milk
3 tablespoons arrowroot or tapioca flour
When the carob mixture begins to steam showing that it’s getting hot, pour in the arrowroot mixture and begin whisking the pudding as it will thicken quickly once the mixture comes just to a boil. Continue whisking until it thickens. Remove from heat and add:
1/4 cup carob chips (Optional but makes for a richer pudding)
1 tablespoon vegan butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Whisk until smooth. Pour into ramekins and cool. Cover with small amounts of plastic wrap to keep the pudding from forming a skin (I actually like the skin the best so I don’t mind it). Makes 4-6 servings depending on the size of your ramekins (or old-fashioned pudding bowls!).
My grandson and I made this the other night. He ate two helpings! Very simple to make and quite delicious especially if you like chicken and lemon like we do.
First, dry and trim any fat from:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Cut each breast into large chunks then salt and pepper to taste. Heat in a 12″ skillet with high sides over medium high heat:
1 tablespoon olive oil
When shimmering add chicken chunks, brown on every side. Remove to a plate and add to the pan:
1 pound asparagus, washed, trimmed and cut into 2″ pieces
Sauté 2-3 minutes before removing from the pan. Pour off oil in pan to leave about 1 tablespoon. Add:
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons minced garlic
3 teaspoons lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Sauté just until the coriander becomes fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add:
1 1/4 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon honey
3 tablespoons lemon juice
chicken breasts along with any juices on the plate
1/2 can (about 1 cup) drained and mashed chickpeas*
Reduce heat to medium low or low and cook just until the chicken registers 175 degrees or is completely firm to the touch, about 10-15 minutes. Turn the chicken several times while cooking to ensure an even cook. If the sauce is reducing too much, reduce heat to low and/or cover the pan to keep in the remaining sauce. When chicken is cooked, remove to the plate and add the asparagus back into the pan to cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until just tender. Stir the chicken back into the pan. Serve over rice, garnish with fresh parsley or green onions. Makes 4 servings (unless you’ve got someone like my grandson around!).
*If you like the texture of whole chickpeas you can also add the other half can whole when you add the asparagus back into the pan towards the end.
There are probably as many recipes for chicken cacciatore on the internet as there are recipe sites. But here’s another one that’s easy to prepare and tastes oh so good! The chicken stays fairly moist (because it’s browned before stewing), the portobellos add some depth to the dish and the sauce is rich and succulent. Using boneless, skinless chicken thighs cuts down on the cooking time so this can be ready in about 40 minutes for a fairly quick midweek supper.
Trim fat and dry with paper towels:
6-8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Salt and pepper lightly. Over medium heat begin heating a Dutch oven and add:
1 tablespoon olive oil
Add the chicken thighs and cook, about 4-5 minutes before turning and browning on the other side. If the chicken sticks to the bottom of the pan when trying to turn it, it’s not ready to turn so brown a little longer. Once browned on both sides, remove to a plate and add to the pan:
1 medium onion, diced
5-6 stalks celery, chopped
3 large or 5 medium portobello mushroom caps, cleaned and chopped
3/4 cup diced carrots
Lightly salt and saute until the onion is translucent and the celery and mushrooms are softened. Add:
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 1/2 tablespoons gluten-free all-purpose flour
Mix to combine and cook out the flour over medium low heat for a minute before adding:
2 cups chicken stock (or 1 cup white wine and 1 cup chicken stock, or 1 cup chicken stock and 1 cup mushroom stock)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
14-15 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
Stir to combine and then place the chicken thighs into the stock, pushing down to cover. Be sure to add any juices that have accumulated on the plate as well. Cover the pot and reduce heat to low simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes until chicken reaches 175 degrees internally. It will start falling apart when completely stewed so don’t worry if you don’t have a meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature. Add:
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Stir to combine. Serve over rice, pasta, or potatoes. I’ve discovered at my local Whole Foods Market, a heart of palm pasta (365 brand) that is very low in carbs and very tasty so I added a bag of it (drained and rinsed) about 10 minutes before the cacciatore was done. Serve with parmesan cheese if desired. Serves 4.
I ate only one little slice of pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving and its one of my favorites so I thought about the pie squares that were so popular in the 70s and 80s, especially those lemon and pumpkin ones and decided to see if I could make an allergy free alternative. Low and behold, no pumpkin in the cupboard but sweet potato puree in excess. And they turned out sooooooo good! Creamy and delicious. I topped the pan with roasted pumpkin seeds which added a nice contrast of textures to the dessert. If desired, of course, pumpkin could be substituted but probably you’d want to add more sweetener and I’d recommend using coconut or date sugar rather than additional liquid.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse until combined into a crumbly texture:
1 cup gluten-free all purpose flour
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 cup date sugar
1/2 cup vegan margarine or cold olive or avocado oil (it will get thick and turn white when frozen or chilled for a day or two)
When crumbly, press into the bottom of a 9×13″ baking pan. Mix in a medium bowl:
1 can sweet potato puree or 2 cups of mashed sweet potatoes
1/4 cup maple syrup
3/4 cup non-dairy milk (any except soy)
1 tablespoon avocado oil
2 tablespoons corn starch or arrowroot
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/3 cup pumpkin seed protein or any protein powder you have on hand
1/4 to 1/3 cup roasted pumpkin seeds (optional)
Whisk together until combined and smooth. Pour into the prepared pan, sprinkle with the seeds if desired, and bake for 25-30 minutes until set. Chill thoroughly before cutting. Top with a non-dairy whip if desired.
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