Vegan Colcannon

This week we are doing a Gluten Free and Vegan Menu, in an effort to get back on the health wagon. After I started working full time it got harder and harder to stay on track with eating healthy and I am starting to feel the consequences. I convinced hubby to go on this "diet" this week because he wants to lose some weight and I just want that good feeling back from when I was eating healthy before.

Let me tell you, it is not easy going from eating fast food and take out all the time, to planning a weekly menu that is Vegan and GF! Unless you want to eat nothing but soup and salad! My menu this week took me 5 hours to plan because I wanted to find recipes for hubby that would please his palate and hopefully keep him on board with the new "diet". Him being a picky eater, this was no easy task!

Here is one of the recipes that I found, but adjusted to be more interesting. I threw some endives in because I found them at the store and had never had them, in fact I was going through self-checkout and I had to ask the attendant what they were because I had never seen them. Hubby's response "you're buying them and you don't even know what they are???". Ha, I like to try new things. I found they don't have much taste but they lend an interesting texture.

This is not an authentic Irish dish but pretty close. Very filling and delicious! Not 100% healthy but it is vegan and gluten free MEAL. Traditionally served as a side dish.

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Prep time: 10 Min. Cook time: 30 Min. Serves: 5

Ingredients

2 Tbsp EVOO

1 ,Onion chopped

1/2 head cabbage

2 Endives, sliced in 1/4 inch thick rings(optional)

6 Red Potatoes, skin on and boiled

1/4 cup earth balance

1/4 cup non-dairy milk

Celtic Sea Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper to Taste

Instructions

Start potatoes boiling in large sauce pan over medium heat.

Chop onions and slice endives.

In a separate pan heat EVOO over medium-low heat until hot.

Add onions and endives and heat until they start to caramelize, adding salt at this stage will help them to sweat and caramelize quicker.

Spread cabbage evenly on top of onion mixture and season to taste with pepper, cover with lid and continue to cook over low heat just until wilted.

Meanwhile, add earth balance and milk to a bowl, season with sea salt and pepper to taste, then add drained potatoes and mash until smooth.

Remove lid and stir cabbage and onion mixture, re-cover and continue to cook until cabbage is crisp tender and brightened.

Remove cabbage mixture from heat and spoon onto a plate, then spoon the potato mixture on top of the cabbage, serve.

Un-tortilla Soup

I came up with my own version of tortilla soup tonight because it was chilly and started to snow so I wanted something with a little bite and that was comforting. This was perfect, just enough bite to warm you up and the sweetness of the cornbread compliments it perfectly. I say un-tortilla because I didnt have tortillas to make the crisps with on hand so that’s where the cornbread comes in.

note: This makes a big pot of soup which is roughly 12 servings, you can freeze the leftovers or use it for a quick healthy lunch throughout the week.

Prep time: 5 Min. Cook time: 60 Min. Serves: 12

Ingredients

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 medium Sweet Onion

2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts cut into 1/2 inch cubes

4 Tbsp chili powder

2 tsp Cumin

2 Tbsp smoky paprika

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 large can organic diced stewed tomatoes

6 cup broth, chicken or vegetable or a mix of both

1/2 tsp minced garlic

1 cup shredded fresh spinach(for added nutrition and color but optional)

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

1 lime cut into wedges for garnish

Instructions

1. put oil in a large stock pot and heat over medium-high until hot. add onions, garlic and chicken and cook until chicken is golden brown.
2. add your spices and continue to cook until fragrant.
3. dump in your tomatoes and broth and stir, simmer over medium heat for 45 mins.
4. add your spinach and cilantro and continue to simmer for an additional 5 mins.
5. ladle soup into a bowl squeeze a lime wedge over the top and serve with a slice of cornbread or cornbread muffin.

alternatively after you brown your chicken, dump all ingredients other than cilantro and lime into a crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours. when ready to eat garnish with cilantro and fresh lime.

For more great all natural recipes check out this page.

Moroccan Chicken Stew

This was divine. All of the flavors meld wonderfully. I don't think there was anything missing! This will easily be a new comfort food in our home.

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 (6 ounce) boneless skinless chicken breast halves or 18 ounces chicken tenders, cut into 1/2 to 3/4 inch cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon hot paprika (or 3/4 teaspoon sweet paprika plus 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper)
5 cups organic chicken stock
2 medium zucchini
1/2 cup uncooked whole wheat couscous
1 (16 ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
sea salt
fresh ground black pepper
8 sprigs cilantro, chopped

Put the oil in a deep, heavy skillet over medium-high heat.
Add chicken to the skillet, raise the heat to high, and stir once or twice.
When chicken has browned, add the onion, cumin, ginger, and paprika.
Stir and cook for 1 minute.
Add the stock to the skillet and stir, scraping any bits from the bottom.
Cover and bring to a boil, about 2 minutes.
Meanwhile, trim the zucchini and slice in half lengthwise, next cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide half-moons.
When the soup comes to a boil, add the zucchini and the couscous to the skillet, stir, and cover.
Add chickpeas to the skillet.
Cover and let the soup return to a boil, then lower the heat slightly so the soup simmers briskly for 4 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Stir cilantro into the soup, cook for 1 minute, and serve.

Healthy Fried Chicken

One thing I didn't want to give up when I decided to get healthy was fried chicken. It has been and always will be one of my favorite comfort foods. So I took my regular recipe and replaced the ingredients with ones that are good for you. This version tastes exactly the same, but I don't have to feel guilty eating it! The reason I cut the breasts in half is because a whole breast is more than one serving, and cutting them this way fools your brain into thinking that it is a whole piece, and you will fill up on it. Plus with the price of chicken these days(unless you find it on sale) it will make it go a lot further when feeding a family!

4 Boneless Skinless Chicken breasts, butterflied all the way through
1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
Sea Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper to taste
1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil


Take your breasts and cut them like you're going too butterfly them but cut them all the way through.

Put oil in a cast iron pan over medium heat.

Season each breast with the sea salt and pepper. Place flour on a plate and coat each piece of chicken with flour.

Place each breast in hot pan and fry until golden brown, flip and do the same on the other side. Take out of pan and drain on a paper towel for 5 mins or so. Serve with a healthy side of choice, tonight I think I'll serve it with the curried grilled zucchini found here. and some sweet potatoes!

Servings: 8
Time:
10 mins prep
20 mins cooking

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