After recommending this recipe to several of my dairy intolerant clients, I had to try it for myself. Lo and behold, it tasted far better than I ever could have imagined! This is destined to be a staple in my kitchen! Special thanks to Carol Kicinski at Simply…gluten free for sharing her creative genius with the world! I added a bag of frozen Tuscan vegetables to the dish as an effortless way to get more veggies in. And you can bet I’m going to make the sauce as an alternative to alfredo for my rice pasta!

Dairy Free Chicken with Mushroom Cream Sauce

4 six ounce boneless skinless chicken breast halves
2 -3 tablespoons olive oil – use divided
1 medium onion – chopped
2 cloves garlic – minced
8 ounces mixed wild mushrooms – cleaned and sliced
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons gluten free chicken broth – use divided
1 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon – finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme – finely chopped
Kosher or Sea Salt & pepper
2 tablespoons arrowroot or cornstarch
Additional tarragon or thyme for garnish – optional

Heat two large skillets over medium–high heat. Add enough olive oil to each pan to coat the bottom (between 1 and 1 ½ tablespoons).

Liberally season chicken breast with salt and pepper. Add to one skillet and cook for about 5 minutes on one side. Turn the heat down to medium, flip the chicken breasts over and cook the other side until browned on the outside and cooked through about 3-4 minutes. Remove to a plate to rest a few minutes while finishing the sauce.

In the other pan add the chopped onions. Turn heat down to medium low and cook until onions are soft and starting to caramelize, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes until browned. Season with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Turn up the heat to medium high and add the ½ cup chicken broth. Cook for about 1 minute until the chicken broth has reduced by half. Add the coconut milk and heat through about 2 minutes. Add the chopped tarragon and thyme. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Make a slurry by mixing the remaining 2 tablespoons of chicken stock with the arrowroot or cornstarch. Add to the sauce and cook for about 30 seconds until sauce thickens.

Slice the chicken breasts diagonally in about 1 inch slices and put on a platter. Spoon sauce over the chicken breasts. Garnish with fresh herbs if desired.

Serve 4.

By the way, if you don’t have two large skillets or don’t want to dirty two up, cook the chicken then cover with foil on a plate to keep warm and just use the same skillet for the sauce. Just add a little more olive oil to the pan and continue as above.

Okay.  I just finished making and eating this and I am one HAPPY camper! I added lotus root to this recipe to make it extra special. Lotus root is found in most Asian supermarkets for reasonable prices. It is a deeply symbolic food item with a rich cultural history (check it out).

Holy basil is a variety of basil revered for it’s effect on calming the nerves and reducing irritation and inflammation throughout the body while boosting immunity and facilitating the body’s ability to adapt to stressors.  Scallops and shrimp are high in tryptophan and contain appreciable amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, making this a sure-fire mood lifting meal.

Enjoy!

Thai Sea Goddess Saute’

This recipe is adapted from a recipe I found on CHOW.com

• 1 tbsp.  peanut or coconut oil
• 1 tbsp. minced garlic or 1/4 cup garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 cup lotus root, sliced thinly and quartered
• 1¼ pounds raw bay scallops
• 1 small zucchini, quartered and chopped
• 2 tablespoons Sriracha chili sauce
• 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, sliced fine
• 2 tablespoons scallions, tops only, sliced fine
• 1/2 pound frozen cooked shrimp, thawed
• 1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce (nam pla)
• 3 tablespoons  holy basil leaves (you can use Thai basil instead)
• Holy basil florets or stem tips, for garnish

1. All advance preparation may be found in the ingredient list.
2. Add the oil to a very hot wok or skillet and swirl to coat. Add the garlic and lotus root and  sauté until garlic is light golden. Immediately add the scallops, and zucchini and stir-fry 1 minute.
3. Add the chile sauce and sauté quickly until fragrant.
4. Reduce the heat and add the cilantro, scallions, shrimp, and fish sauce. Cook for 1 minute, then remove from the heat. Just before service, add the holy basil leaves and stir to incorporate.
5. Serve over brown rice or quinoa. Even better — rice or quinoa that has been cooked in coconut milk.  Incredible!

Winter is Vata season – season of air and wind. It leaves many of us a little scattered, especially if we are not living in tune with the seasons and taking more downtime and rest as the plants and animals around us do.
People with heavy amounts of Vata in their Ayurvedic constitution tend to have more difficulty staying focused and calm during winter months. Anxiety, worry, distracting thoughts, insomnia, or feeling “spaced out” is common for them when imbalanced. On a physical level, one may experience more gas, bloating, and constipation, fatigue with an inability to relax, and increased sensitivity to the cold. The grounding soup recipe below is seasonally appropriate for winter – when root veggies come into season – and they are quite calming and grounding to the body. From a Chinese 5 element and Ayurvedic standpoint, root vegetables draw our energy back towards the earth and help keep us calm and focused. They are slightly more yang, their own energies cause them to grow close to or burrow into the earth and this energy is passed onto the consumer.
Don’t believe in “energy” around food? Sugar, a highly yin food, makes most people a little spastic and unfocused. When Mom cooks a meal, it tastes better than when you follow her recipe to the “T”, because it is infused with her love. When the chef is upset…well, you can taste it in the food. It’s flat and “off” somehow.

If you are feeling a little spacey, a little anxious, a little constipated and bloated or just want a seasonal, warm winter meal, try the soup recipe below. It’s simple and delightful this time of year!

GROUNDING SOUP

- adapted from Jen Hoy’s recipe at about.com

According to Chinese 5 element theory, round and root vegetables strengthen the spleen and reproductive organs, nourish the liver, and aid digestion. This soothing soup has a notable calming, easing effect, and should be eaten often by anyone with a sensitive nervous system. The soup also helps promote lactation, and balance blood sugar. It is especially good during the cooler months, as it is considered a warming soup.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:

* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 sweet onion, peeled and chopped
* 1 leek, white and green parts, chopped
* 1 clove garlic, chopped fine
* 1 stalk celery, chopped
* 1 medium carrot, chopped
* 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and chopped
* 1 medium parsnip, peeled and chopped
* 1 small turnip or rutabaga, peeled and chopped
* 1 small pumpkin, or butternut or kabocha squash, peeled and chopped
* 1 bay leaf
* 2 quarts vegetable or beef stock
* 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
* Sea salt
* Chopped parsley (optional)
* fresh ginger to taste (optional)

Preparation:
In large soup pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, leek, garlic, celery and carrot, and sauté until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add potato, sweet potato, parsnip, turnip, pumpkin and bay leaf. Stir vegetables, and then add vegetable stock.

Bring to a boil, cover the pan, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes, until vegetables are tender.

Add thyme, and sea salt to taste. Cook an additional 5 minutes.

Remove bay leaf, and puree soup in a Vitamix, if desired.

To serve: Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with a sprinkle of chopped parsley. This soup keeps well for several days.

Makes about 3 quarts, or 6 servings.

A study by Dr Malcolm Cross confirms what tea-lovers have long espoused: if you are upset or anxious, it’s a good idea to brew a cup of tea.

The study, as reported by the British Telegraph, said that a stress-inducing test caused a reported 25% increase in stress levels by those who did not receiving tea following their stress test. Those who did receive tea reported a 4%  decrease in stress. (click here to read more about this study).

Keep in mind this is a British study, and the Brits have had a longstanding cultural relationship with tea. Even though Americans do not engage in teas to the extent of our British cousins, the image and experience of making a cup of tea can induce similar ideas of unwinding; this idea permeates our culture mostly in advertising and movies instead of occurring in the home.

Give it a try and see what happens! Below is my favorite way to prepare tea:

Aimee’s Cuppa

I never liked tea, nor drank it in the British style, until I met my friend Nefratiri. I would go over to Nef’s house when I was about 18 to talk about religion and government and all sorts of juicy topics.  She would make me tea using soymilk and maple syrup and I became HOOKED on the stuff.  It has since become a very soothing staple on cold days or whenever I need a little extra love.

• 1 teabag or loose-leaf tea in a teaball (some of my faves: Celestial Seasoning’s Tension Tamer or Gingerbread tea; Republic of Tea Blackberry Sage, Morning Glory Chai or a redbush chai)
• 1-2 tsp maple syrup
• 1/4 cup soy milk, almond milk, or hemp milk (rice milk is too watery)
• boiling water

Bring water to a boil in a kettle or pot. Remove from heat. Add the teabag to your favorite mug and top with water, leaving room for “milk”. Add milk and maple syrup and stir.

Sit back, inhale deeply, and enjoy.

These brownies were a huge hit at a potluck I attended last night! No one could believe the secret ingredient was….BEANS!

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ c. Trader Joe’s Semi-sweet or Ghirardelli Chocolate Chips (for Gluten-free)
• 2 c. garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed (about 1 can)
• 4 eggs
• 1 c. organic Sucanat or turbinado sugar
• 2 tsp. true cinnamon (Ceylon cinnamon, or canela in the Mexican tiendas) Specialty spice stores will carry this.
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp baking powder (use gluten-free baking powder)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a small bowl melt chocolate chips in microwave for 2 minutes.  Stir until smooth.
3. In blender or food processor, combine beans and eggs and blend until smooth.
4. Add sweetener, spices, baking powder, and melted chocolate, process until smooth.
5. Pour batter into a 9” or 8X8” non-stick pan.
6. Bake for 45 minutes or until edges pull away from baking pan. I like my edges a little crispy.
7. Let cook completely before slicing (as chocolate cools, it keeps the bars from being too crumbly).

Mashed cauliflower is a fantastic alternative to mashed potatoes for those avoiding nightshades or high glycemic potatoes. Surprisingly, these do not taste strongly of cauliflower; rather they pick up the subtle buttery notes and allow spices such as cracked peppercorn and garlic to shine through. Use the recipe below as a baseline and feel free to experiment by adding roasted garlic, basil and sun dried tomatoes, rosemary, dill, or other favorite spices to liven things up!

Aimee’s Easy Mashed Cauliflower

* 2 heads cauliflower
* 1 qt. vegetable broth
* 1 tbsp butter or olive oil
* sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Tear florets from the cauliflower head and add to a large stock pot. Cover with broth, bring to a boil and steam until very tender – about 15 minutes.

Transfer florets into Vitamix (this makes them supercreamy!) or a food processor. Add butter or oil, salt and pepper, and any spices you wish to use. Puree on high for 30 seconds – 2 minutes until smooth.

Transfer to a warmed ceramic dish and serve.
Makes about 7 cups.

This rice pudding is a perfect cozy breakfast or dessert on a cool day. You can also make this in the rice cooker and have it available to you – piping hot – for a few mornings!

2 cups water
1 cup brown rice, rinsed
1 1/4 cups rice or almond milk, or other non-dairy milk of choice
1/3 cup raisins (optional)
1/3 cup walnuts
1/3 cup brown rice syrup or maple syrup
1 t. vanilla
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. ground ginger
1/8 t. ground nutmeg

In a medium saucepan, place the water, and bring to a boil. Add the rice, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 35 minutes or until all of the water has been absorbed. Add the remaining ingredients, stir well to combine, and continue to cook the mixture over low heat until all of the liquid has been absorbed. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and place the pudding in the refrigerator to chill. Top individual servings with a little additional cinnamon before serving, if desired.

Serves 3-4

I’m on a roll tonight.  These cupcakes have been on my To Do list for about a month, and I’m nestling into Autumn with a desire to spend time in my kitchen exploring Delicious.

• 1 cup dehydrated cane juice (sucanat)
• 2 teaspoons dried lavender flowers
• 3/4 cup coconut oil, softened
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cup Gluten-Free flour mix (I successfully used Pamela’s in this recipe)
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 tablespoons hemp, coconut, or rice milk
• 2 teaspoon freshly grated Meyer lemon zest

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a cupcake pan with 12 liners.
In a Vitamix or food processor, grind the lavender and sugar together for about 1 minute. The sugar will appear finer, and the flowers will be small/tiny pieces.  The aroma may make you compulsively use the sugar as a body scrub. That’s fine too, but you’ll have to repeat this step if you do that.

In mixer bowl, combine lavender sugar and softened coconut oil until well mixed. Gradually add in eggs- one at a time, mixing completely between each, then non-dairy milk, vanilla, zest, and mix all thoroughly. While this is mixing, sift together salt, baking powder and flour. Gradually add, a little at a time, to wet ingredients. Mix just until combined. Spoon into cupcake liners.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15- 20 minutes or until cake tester or toothpick inserted in center of one comes out clean.  Cool completely before frosting.

Meyer Lemon Frosting

• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1 cup sucanat
• 3 tbsp. meyer lemon juice
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Blend sucanat in blender or Vitamix until powdery.  Cream Sucanat with coconut oil in a small bowl. Once blended, add lemon juice and vanilla. Chill until desired thickness is achieved before frosting.

This recipe was adapted from Tosca Reno’s Eat Clean Diet.
The kalamata and balsamic offer depth and richness to a very light and satisfying dish. This can be served in either summer or winter, paired with a rosemary quinoa pilaf or roasted potatoes.

Serves 4

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
• salt, pepper, and olive oil to taste
• 2 cups arugula leaves, torn
• 2 tsp fresh sage leaves
• 1 tbsp. dried Italian seasoning
• 4plum tomatoes, chopped (about 2 cups)
• 1/4 cup kalamata olives, diced
• Balsamic vinegar
• 4 stalks asparagus, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Lightly rub olive oil on the bottom of a small baking dish.  Gently massage a touch of olive oil onto the chicken pieces, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Line the baking dish with arugula leaves and top with chicken. Sprinkle sage leaves, Italian seasoning, tomatoes, olives and asparagus atop chicken and lightly sprinkle with vinegar. Cover with parchment paper and foil and bake for 20 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

This salad is AWESOME.  The basil and watermelon are refreshing and energizing, and the feta adds heartiness and depth that allows this to be quite satisfying.  It keeps well for about 2 days.  It is also fantastic without the feta!

Serves 4

* 3 1/2 pounds seedless watermelon (rind removed), cut into 1-inch cubes (6 cups)
* The juice and zest of one lime
* 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips (see note)
* Coarse salt and ground pepper, if desired
* 4 ounces imported Sheep milk feta cheese, broken into large pieces (about 1 cup)

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine watermelon, lime juice, lime zest, basil; season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine.  Refrigerate until chilled. Serves 4.