Tag Archives: honey

September 16, 2012 · 5:58 pm

Bacon and Onion Meatloaf

I was actually in the mood for something hearty this weekend as the weather started to cool down (even though I am in total denial about summer ending).  So, I decided to make turkey meatloaf, and add the heartiness of bacon to it.  It was delicious!  I know that meatloaf has a bad reputation, but this turned out really well.  It is pretty healthy with the turkey meat, and the bacon added some flavor.  I will definitely make it again.  You could even make meatballs out of it if you wanted to.

Bacon and Onion Meatloaf

Pieces:

  1. 1 lb. ground turkey (or beef if you prefer)
  2. one half of an onion, finely chopped
  3. 7 slices of bacon, cut into small pieces (I use kitchen scissors)
  4. one half cup gluten free bread crumbs
  5. 1 egg and 1 egg white
  6. 1 tsp. smoked paprika
  7. 1 tsp. cumin
  8. 1 tsp. chopped garlic
  9. salt and pepper to taste
  10. 4 tbsp. ketchup
  11. 2 tbsp. honey

Process:

  1. In a large bowl, combine the turkey, onion, bacon, bread crumbs, eggs, paprika, cumin, garlic, salt, and pepper.  Use your hands to combine the mixture, but don’t handle it too much or make it too dense by squeezing too hard.
  2. Once combined, form it into a loaf shape.
  3. Place the loaf into a shallow and greased pan.
  4. Put the pan and loaf into the fridge for 10 minutes.
  5. Bake at 350 degrees for 65 minutes.  Halfway through baking, about 30 minutes in, drizzle the honey and ketchup on top of the loaf.
  6. When cooked, take the pan out of the oven and let it sit for about 5-7 minutes.
  7. Cut into slices and serve hot.

Happy Allergy Free Eating!

 

 

 

Leave a comment

Filed under Recipes

Tagged as , , , , , , , ,

August 26, 2012 · 6:18 pm

Scallops in Pumpkin Sauce

Yes, you read that right… scallops and pumpkin!  I told you my mom was great at finding unique recipes!  This one you certainly might skip over in a magazine (Men’s Health is where this originally came from) if you read the title quickly, but trust me… it was beyond delicious!  The flavors were great, and perfect for the upcoming fall weather.  Mom served it over pasta (and added a few of her own flavors) to make it a heartier dinner meal.  Again, another fish recipe I will definitely keep.

Seared Scallops in Pumpkin

Pieces:

  1. 1 lb. scallops
  2. 1 can pumpkin puree
  3. 2 tbsp. chopped hazelnuts
  4. 2 tbsp. chopped pecans
  5. 3 tbsp. chopped chives
  6. 3 tbsp. chopped scallions
  7. 1 cup gluten free chicken broth
  8. 1 tbsp. lemon juice
  9. 1 tbsp. honey
  10. 1 tbsp. vegan butter
  11. 1 tbsp. olive oil
  12. salt and pepper to taste

Process:

  1. Toast the hazelnuts and pecans in a shallow saute pan over medium heat, just until they are lightly toasted and you can smell them.
  2. Combine pumpkin, honey, butter, broth in saucepan and heat over medium heat, until heated through.  Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Dry the scallops with a paper towel and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  4. Heat a saute pan over medium high heat for a couple minutes.
  5. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, and then the scallops to the heated pan.  Cook the scallops about 2-3 minutes each side, until browned and firm.
  6. Pour the pumpkin mixture into a bowl, add the scallops on top.  Garnish with hazelnuts, pecans, chives, and scallions.  (Note: if serving with pasta… plate the pasta, then the pumpkin on top, then the scallops and garnish).
  7. Serve hot.

Or over pasta:

 

Happy Allergy Free Eating!

1 Comment

Filed under Recipes

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

May 10, 2012 · 6:20 pm

Honey Orange Chicken with Goat Cheese Peas

I have a tendency to buy too much food at the supermarket… sometimes I have visions of meals that just never get made or sometimes I buy items that are on sale.  I decided to make dinner this week with what was already in my fridge.  I found some goat cheese, chicken tenders, an orange, and some almonds.  Random ingredients, but perfect for Honey Orange Chicken with a side of Goat Cheese Peas.  I was stunned at how quick and easy it was to make!

Honey Orange Chicken

Pieces:

  1. one package of chicken tenders, about 1 pound
  2. juice of one orange
  3. 3 tbsp. honey
  4. 1 tsp. nutmeg
  5. 2 tsp. parsley flakes
  6. 2 tsp. lemon pepper
  7. 2 tsp. “camp mix”- a blend of garlic salt, pepper, and celery seed

Process:

  1. In a greased cast iron skillet, put the chicken tenders over medium heat.
  2. Smother them with half of the orange juice and half of the honey.
  3. Sprinkle half of the seasonings on top.
  4. After about 4 minutes, turn the chicken tenders over and smother them with the other half of the juice, honey, and seasonings.
  5. After another 4 minutes, flip one more time and let cook until cooked through.

(Afterwards, I also thought you could serve with some craisins on top!)

Goat Cheese Peas

Pieces:

  1. one bag of frozen peas
  2. one quarter cup of water
  3. one half cup sliced almonds
  4. 3 tbsp. goat cheese
  5. 1 tsp. parsley flakes

Process:

  1. In a large sauce pan, pour the peas and water.
  2. Cover and cook over medium heat until they are tender, about 10 minutes.  Be careful not to overcook them.
  3. While the peas are cooking, spread the almonds over a saute pan.
  4. Heat the almonds on low heat for about 4 minutes, just until they toast.  Be careful they don’t burn.
  5. Toss the peas with the almonds.
  6. Serve with the goat cheese and parsley on top.

Happy Allergy Free Eating!

 

 

Leave a comment

Filed under Recipes

Tagged as , , , , , , , ,

January 31, 2012 · 8:34 pm

Honey BBQ Chicken Tenders

Anyone who knows me knows that I am not a sports fan… like, I-can’t-tell-which-way-each-team-is-running type of fan.  But that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate some game day food.  Chicken tenders are usually at the top of most game day lists, so I tried my own allergy free Honey BBQ Chicken Tenders.  Success!  Sweet, spicy, tender, and moderately healthy without any frying.

Honey BBQ Chicken Tenders

Pieces:

  1. 6-8 chicken tenders
  2. cooking spray
  3. 2 tsp. paprika
  4. 2 tsp. cumin
  5. salt and pepper to taste
  6. 2 tbsp. dijon mustard
  7. 4 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
  8. 2 tbsp. worcestershire sauce
  9. 3 tbsp. honey
  10. one half tbsp. molasses
  11. 1 tbsp. brown sugar
  12. 1 tbsp. tomato paste

Process:

  1. In an oven safe saute pan sprayed with cooking spray, begin to sear the chicken tenders on medium heat.  Sprinkle with 1 tsp. each paprika, cumin, and salt and pepper. Flip after 3 minutes and sear the other side.
  2. Put the tenders in the oven at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes, until done.
  3. In a small saucepan over medium low heat, add the dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, worcestershire sauce, honey, molasses, brown sugar, tomato paste, and rest of the paprika and cumin.
  4. Let the sauce bubble, but not boil over.  Stir with a whisk every few minutes until the chicken is done.  Be sure to stir well to make sure the sugar dissolves.
  5. Serve the chicken tenders smothered with sauce!

Happy Allergy Free Eating!

Leave a comment

Filed under Recipes

Tagged as , ,

January 24, 2012 · 7:11 pm

Oodles of Thai Peanut Noodles

I love Thai food… there are so many meat and vegetable possibilities for someone with food allergies, and the spices offer amazing flavor. When eating out, my favorite Thai dish is Pad Thai… with anything “honey sesame” close behind.  But at home, I love making Thai Peanut Noodles.  They are rich, filling, and exploding with those great Thai flavor combinations… peanut oil, soy sauce, lime juice, ginger… yum!

I took an existing Peanut Sauce recipe that I have under my Recipes section, tweaked it a little (cooking is always an experiment in progress!), and made it noodle ready.  The result?  A delicious dish that I could enjoy at my own table!  It is also very, very easy… just cook some pasta, stir the sauce ingredients together, and combine.

Thai Peanut Noodles

Pieces:

  1. one and a half cups smooth peanut butter (I like Skippy Natural)
  2. 4 tbsp. rice vinegar
  3. 2 tbsp. honey
  4. 2 tbsp. sesame oil
  5. 2 tbsp. wheat free soy sauce
  6. juice of one lime (put it in the microwave for 10 seconds to get it really juicy)
  7. 1 tbsp. chopped garlic
  8. 1 tsp. red chili flakes
  9. 2 tbsp. ginger
  10. rice noodles (or your favorite pasta)
  11. one half cup of the water the pasta cooked in
  12. chopped scallions, about 2 tbsp.
  13. one carrot, shredded into fine strips using a vegetable peeler.

Process:

  1. Cook the pasta according to package directions.  (When the pasta is done cooking, be sure to reserve one half cup of the water that the pasta cooked in.)
  2. In a large bowl, combine the peanut butter, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, soy sauce, lime juice, garlic, red chili flakes, and ginger.  Stir well.
  3. When the pasta is done cooking, pour the one half cup of pasta water into the peanut sauce.  Stir to combine.
  4. Add more warm water if you want to thin out the sauce even more, to your liking.  If you don’t have any pasta water left, regular warm water is fine.
  5. Stir well and pour over the pasta.
  6. Top with chopped scallions and shredded carrot.
  7. Serve hot… or cold the next day!

You could also top with chopped peanuts, or shredded chicken.

Happy Allergy Free Eating!

1 Comment

Filed under Recipes

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

December 13, 2011 · 7:48 pm

Sweet Lemon Pepper Chicken

I came home tonight later than I thought I would, so I had to think fast when making dinner.  I ended up using one cutting board, one knife, 2 baking pans, and only about 45 minutes!  Out came Sweet Lemon Pepper Chicken and Italian Zucchini Rounds.  Both added some great flavor to a busy evening.

Sweet Lemon Pepper Chicken

Pieces:

  1. 2 chicken breasts
  2. 1 tbsp. honey
  3. juice of one half of a lemon plus 4 lemon slices
  4. 1 tbsp. pepper
  5. 1 tsp. sea salt

Process:

  1. Drizzle honey over the chicken breasts.
  2. Pour lemon juice over chicken, then season with salt and pepper.  Add more pepper if you like a kick!
  3. Place 2 lemon slices on top of chicken breasts and bake at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

 

Italian Zucchini Rounds

Pieces:

  1. 2 zucchinis, cut into small rounds
  2. 1 tbsp. olive oil
  3. 1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
  4. 1 tbsp. dried parsley
  5. 1 tsp. garlic salt
  6. 1 tsp. sugar
  7. salt and pepper to season

Process:

  1. Toss zucchini with olive oil, red wine vinegar, parsley, garlic salt, sugar, and salt/pepper.
  2. On a baking sheet, bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes.

Happy Allergy Free Eating!

 

 

 

Leave a comment

Filed under Recipes

Tagged as , , , , , , , ,

October 25, 2011 · 6:57 pm

Honey Sesame Tofu

I ordered some Chinese take out with a friend this weekend, and my indulgence of choice was Honey Sesame Tofu.  I never had it before, and it was pretty good.  I liked the sweet flavor and thick tofu pieces.  Then I started thinking…. wait, I could make this…and make it healthier…

Honey Sesame Tofu

Pieces:

  1. 1 block of firm tofu
  2. 3 tbsp. oil for sauteing
  3. 2 tbsp. gluten free soy sauce
  4. 1 tbsp. sesame oil
  5. 6 tbsp. honey
  6. 2 tbsp. agave nectar
  7. 3 tbsp. plum sauce
  8. 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  9. 1 tsp. chili powder
  10. 1 tbsp. soy flour
  11. sesame seeds for sprinkling

Process:

  1. Make crispy tofu pieces, like I did in Sweet and Salty Stir Fry.  Follow steps 1-6 to dry, slice, and saute the tofu in hot oil in a shallow pan until they start to brown.
  2. While the tofu is cooking, make the honey sauce by combining soy sauce, sesame oil, honey,  agave nectar, plum sauce, apple cider vinegar, and chili powder.
  3. Heat the sauce on low until it starts to bubble, whisking thoroughly.
  4. Then add 1 tbsp. soy flour to thicken, and stir for just another minute.
  5. Pour the sauce over the tofu, sprinkle some sesame seeds, and serve over rice and/or vegetables.

Here is the take out version with rice:

Here is my version with snap peas:

Pretty close… and I am sure my version is healthier!

Happy Allergy Free Eating.

2 Comments

Filed under Recipes

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , ,