Here’s a hand-off spin on a holiday classic!

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This Endive and Lettuce Salad with Scallops and Pistachios makes a perfect summer dinner! The pistachios bring out the nutty flavor of the scallops and it only takes minutes to prepare!

Choosing Scallops

If you live near the coast, buy your scallops fresh from your local fish store. If not, quick frozen scallops are a great choice. Scallops are often soaked in phosphate which is the same ingredient used in soap and detergent, so make sure you look for scallops labeled “chemical free” or “dry-packed.”

The key to cooking perfect scallops is to dry them thoroughly. Then use a good hot pan and only cook them for one to two minutes per side. 

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You can have this meal on the table in 15 minutes, paired with a side salad. This is a great use for that leftover almond meal from your homemade almond milk. You can dry the pulp in the oven at 150 degrees for about 4 hours. Process them in a blender to break up the clumps. You could also use gluten-free bread crumbs for this easy baked fish.

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Here is a rich easy slow cooker beef ragu sauce using an inexpensive cut of beef that you can prep the night before, and turn on in the morning for a hearty meal. We love it over creamy polenta, but a pound of gluten-free pasta would be delicious also!

To skip browning the meat, I just cooked up the onions with the spices and tomato paste to add hearty meaty flavor you get from browning. Putting the roast in whole, saves time and energy, as it is so tender and easy to shred after hours in the slow cooker.

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These Gluten-Free Pull Apart Rolls are so good, my son panicked as he thought I gave him a wheat roll! Just in time for the holidays, I finally mastered my recipe. The secret…almond flour. I have been adding more almond flour to my gluten-free bread recipes and getting great results!

Last week, I told you not to eat gluten. This week, I’m showing you how you can make delicious bread and never even miss the wheat! I like to use my own gluten-free flour blends, so we can skip the xantham gum. Xantham gum is usually genetically modified and can cause stomach irritation. Instead, I use psyllium husk, which not only helps bind the dough, it adds heart-healthy fiber!

These rolls are so quick and easy! They only take 45 minutes to rise and 25 minutes to bake, so you can have fresh rolls on the table in just a little over an hour!

Another beautiful thing about gluten-free bread is there is no kneading. Just mix your dough, rise, and bake! These gluten-free pull-apart rolls are crisp on the outside and super soft on the inside. Give them a try! You’re gonna love ’em! Let me know what you think in the comment below!

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Chicken Pot Pie seems like something you have to give up if you are going gluten and dairy free. Not true! I made this super easy Chicken Pot Pie Crumble recipe that is savory and delicious! I opted for a crumble, as gluten-free pie crust can be a little sticky when you are working with a warm filling. Plus this makes it a quick, weeknight meal. But the crumble topping recipe will work just fine as a pie crust too if you want to go for it!

My inspiration for this recipe came from America’s Test Kitchen.  They added just a tiny bit of soy sauce (I used Tamari) and tomato paste to boost the savory flavor. To skip the original dairy in this recipe, I just upped the chicken stock for a creamy sauce.  Turmeric and mushrooms give it nice color along with their anti-inflammatory properties. For the crust, I opted for rich coconut milk. This adds silkiness without any trace of coconut flavor. I also added some nutritional yeast for its high Vitamin B content along with its cheesy flavor.

What is ghee?

For the crust, I used ghee instead of butter, but coconut oil will work fine too. Although ghee is derived from dairy, it is pure butterfat, and therefore doesn’t contain the components that cause problems with dairy. It is similar to clarified butter but has more of a nutty flavor. As it is heated, the casein and lactose are removed, which is why it doesn’t cause problems for most people with dairy allergies. If you are sensitive to dairy, try cultured ghee.

I always use grass-fed ghee which is a vibrant yellow color. That’s how you know you are getting a good quality. It contains beta-carotene, Vitamin K2,  conjugated linoleic acid, Vitamin A, and Omega-3 fats. These nutrients help the body burn fat, prevent cancer, and reduce inflammation.

I also love how this is a one-dish meal, that you can easily freeze as a ready-made meal.  Classic, simple, delicious…without gluten or dairy. Enjoy!

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This recipe is a little twist on traditional Filipino Chicken Adobo. Instead of just braising the chicken in the sauce, I start by browning the skin in a cold pan. As it heats, the fat begins to render, making the skin nice and crispy!

Chicken Adobo traditionally calls for soy sauce, but I wanted to introduce you to an alternative. Soy sauce is essential for Asian food recipes and can add meatiness to your stew and soups, as well as helping to make vegetarian dishes a little more hearty, but soy is one of  the most genetically modified foods on the planet. It can be a cause of food intolerances and can cause inflammation in the body. On top of that, soy sauce contains gluten.

COCONUT AMINOS

But have you ever heard of Coconut Aminos? It is an awesome replacement for soy sauce that doesn’t taste like coconut but has an “umami” taste similar to soy sauce.  It contains coconut tree sap and salt. The sodium content is less than 1/3 of the same amount of sodium in soy sauce. You may already know that coconut is great for heart health. Coconut is also very high in antioxidants, helping the body rid itself of toxins.  Coconut is also an anti-inflammatory food which may help reduce heart disease and prevent diabetes and cancer.

Coconut aminos can be found now at Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods. You can also get it on Amazon. Use it as a replacement for soy sauce in any of your recipes and give it a try in this Chicken Adobo!

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Looking for a quick and easy dinner that is healthy and delicious? This one-pan chicken dish is loaded with flavor. The anti-inflammatory turmeric makes a smooth sauce and the chicken crisps up nicely along with the chickpeas. The fennel and red onions carmelize which enhances their sweet flavor. Adding the carrots makes this a complete dinner you can throw together on any weeknight!

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When it’s cold outside, it’s time for soup! This light fish chowder is smooth and deliciously creamy without the dairy! The chunks of lean white fish makes this a hearty meal!

*Fish stock is quick and easy. You can get fish bones from your local seafood store. They’ll usually give them to you for free. Try this simple fish stock recipe from the Food Network: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/quick-fish-stock-recipe-1915795

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Beef really gets a bad rap as being the cause of several major illnesses which include heart disease and cancer. These arguments do not make the distinction between conventional feed-lot beef and 100% grass-fed beef. There is a huge difference though. I want to help you answer the question, “Should you eat meat?”

Essential Amino acids

Our bodies can produce certain amino acids, but essential amino acids can only be obtained from food. Notice the word essential. We need these amino acids for optimal health. You can obtain protein from fruits and vegetables, but they are incomplete. The only complete protein sources of essential amino acids are found in beef, fish, poultry, and eggs. But not all beef is the same.

Grass-fed beef versus grain-fed Beef

You have probably heard that saturated fat from meat is what will clog your arteries and cause heart disease. Grass-fed beef is high in omega-3 fat.  It is this fat that protects the heart and prevents cancer.

A study by researchers at California State University found that beef from cows that exclusively eat grass fit a diet lower in saturated fat and higher in “good fats” and other nutrients. Not only does grass-fed beef contain more omega-3 fats than CAFO beef, but it also is lower in calories and higher in vitamins A and E, antioxidants, beta-carotene.  Omega-3 fat has been shown to reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease.

On the other hand, conventional beef, fed on grain has a much higher  Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acid ratio, which can cause inflammation which is the real culprit in heart disease.

Cooking grass-fed beef

You’ll find pastured beef to leaner than conventional beef, so the best cooking method is “low and slow.” For steaks, you want to just sear them, then reduce the temperature to a low setting until done. Chuck roasts, bottom round roast, or briskets are great in the crockpot. Top sirloin roasts or eye round are best cooked at a low temperature for a long time as in this simple roast recipe.

Here is a great source for online grass-fed beef.

Daley, Cynthia A, et al. “A Review of Fatty Acid Profiles and Antioxidant Content in Grass-Fed and Grain-Fed Beef.” Nutrition Journal, BioMed Central, 10 Mar. 2010, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2846864/.

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