Cilantro-Ginger-Garlic "Aioli" Sauce

Cilantro-Ginger-Garlic "Aioli" Sauce

 

This is my version of a dipping sauce from one of my favorite restaurants where it is paired with fried yucca.  I call it a cheat "aioli" because instead of emulsifying it myself, I just add prepared mayo.  It is absolutely to die for!  Excellent with chicken or on burgers with arugula. 

 

Ingredients:

1 bunch fresh cilantro, stems and all

1 - 2" chunk fresh ginger

4 large cloves garlic

1 T soy sauce

1 T rice vinegar

1 lime, juiced

1/3 cup mayo

 

Directions: Process cilantro, ginger, and garlic in food processor until it is all broken down.  Add remaining ingredients until smooth.  Adjust mayo to desired consistency.

 

Notes: Leftover sauce makes an excellent salad dressing.  Add extra olive oil and rice vinegar to thin the sauce into a pourable dressing!

Gluten-Free Banana Quinoa Breakfast Muffins

Gluten-Free Banana Quinoa Breakfast Muffins

I make these about once per week, as soon as the last bananas get spots and are therefor unfit for consumption.  I've only recently added the quinoa which I had leftover in the fridge and it turned out extra nutritious and chewy; you can omit the quinoa and leave everything else the same to save a step.

Wet Ingredients:
2 eggs
2 ripe bananas
1/3 C coconut sugar
1/4 C applesauce
1/4 C coconut oil
1 t vanilla

Dry Ingredients:
1/2 C gluten-free all-purpose baking flour
1/2 C almond meal
1/2 C cooked quinoa
1 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon

Directions: Process wet ingredients in the food processor until banana is smooth.  Add dry ingredients and process until combined.  Fill muffin tins 3/4 full.  Bake at 350° for exactly 25 minutes.

Notes: Yield about 10 muffins and store best in the fridge.

Our Favorite Smoothy (Cherry Chocolate Smoothy)

Our Favorite Smoothy (Cherry Chocolate Smoothy)

I do think smoothie recipes can be silly because it's a matter of throwing anything you like in the blender and turning it on! But...this one is a constant favorite of ours so I thought I would write it down.  Marek and I share a smoothy first thing every morning.

Ingredients:
2 C plain (homemade) kefir
1/2 C frozen cherries
1/2 C frozen wild blueberries
1 T cocoa powder
1 handful fresh baby spinach

Directions: Put all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.

Creamy Fiesta Chicken Bowl

I added another made-up meal to my arsenal tonight.  This was an unusual (can-o'-this-can-o'-that) meal for me but it turned out delicious and Marek devoured two bowls full.  I thought that I should write it down, not that I won't remember the recipe but so I remember it as an option for dinner when I feel out of ideas.  It has been a goal of mine to start writing down my recipes as I have started to make many of them repeatedly and also had more and more requests from friends.  I'm excited to see how many I have in the end and hopefully bind them all together for my children some day.  For my graduation, I asked my dad to write down all of the recipes that I remember from growing up.  I have them in a notebook in his very difficult to read handwriting and unique writing style.  I will cherish it forever!

Creamy Fiesta Chicken Bowl (crock pot recipe)

Ingredients:
1 lb chicken breasts
1 lb chicken thighs
1 T cumin
1 T taco seasoning (recipe here)
1 tsp salt
1 jar of your favorite salsa
1/2 bunch chopped fresh cilantro (stems and all)
1 can rinsed and drained black beans
2 C frozen corn
1 pkg cream cheese, cubed

Directions: Place all ingredients in crock pot in order listed.  Cook on high 4-5 hours.  When finished, shred chicken with fork.  Can be served wrapped in a tortilla, over rice, or just plain!

Notes: The chicken can be frozen.  The thighs really make the dish, they are more moist and flavorful than the usual boneless, skinless breasts.

Anna's Homemade Taco Seasoning

Anna's Homemade Taco Seasoning

Ingredients:
1 1/2 T chili powder (recipe here)
1 T cumin
1/2 T garlic powder
1/2 T onion powder
1/2 T oregano
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Directions: Mix all together.  Store in a mason jar.

Notes: Use fresh, good quality spices!  It makes all the difference in the world!

No-Bake Cookie Balls

No-Bake Cookie Balls

Ingredients:

1/2 C oats

1 1/2 C various raw nuts (such as almonds, pecans and walnuts)

1/4 C various seeds (such as chia, pumpkin, flax and sunflower)

1/2 C unsweetened coconut

1/2 tsp fresh ground cinnamon
*1 T cocoa powder optional
1/2 C sticky dried fruit (such as dates, raisins or apricots)
1/4 C maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla

honey

Directions:  Blend oats, nuts, seeds, coconut, cinnamon (and optional cocoa powder) in the food processor until it reaches a crumbly, slightly sticky consistency.  Processing too much will separate the oils from the nuts.  Add fruit, maple syrup, and vanilla and process until fruit is combined.  Now, with the processor running, process adding honey until the batter becomes dough-like and forms into one ball in the food processor. Use your hands to roll into 1-inch balls and enjoy!

Notes: I enjoy these refrigerated. For a prettier presentation, form into logs and roll in coconut flakes (like a date roll) and press a blanched almond onto the top.

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

Ingredients:
1 C dry quinoa (made just like rice, one cup equals about 3 cups cooked)
kalamata olives, halved
sliced colored sweet peppers
canned quartered artichoke hearts
garbanzo beans
whole cherry tomatoes
sliced yellow summer squash
diced red onions
fresh chives, chopped
fresh basil, julienned

My Vinaigrette:
-equal parts olive oil and vinegar (I use a mixture of red wine/balsamic/apple cider and/or whatever is left from the olive jar!)
-lots dried herbs of your choosing
-salt
-pepper
-garlic powder
-a squeeze of fresh lemon juice
-a dash of cayenne pepper
Directions: Combine all ingredients in a mason jar and give it a good shake. Sometimes I add a little honey to kill the acidity.  I also may squeeze in a giant glob of stone ground mustard.  Let it sit for and hour or more so the dried herbs can rehydrate and all the flavors can incorporate.  This is a great dressing for almost any salad!

Directions for Salad: Add as much dressing to the salad as you like and give it a good toss. It soaks up quite a bit so be generous, I'd say I usually add about 3/4 of a cup or more.

Notes: The salad is delicious served over a bed of fresh baby spinach.

Anna's Homemade Chili Powder

Anna's Homemade Chili Powder

Ingredients:
3 T ancho chili powder
2 T cayenne chili powder
2 T paprika
1/2 T red pepper flakes
1 T cumin
1/2 T garlic powder
1/2 T oregano

Directions: Mix all together. Store in a mason jar.

Notes: Use fresh, good quality spices! It makes all the difference in the world!

Anna's Homemade "Orange" Curry Powder

Anna's Homemade "Orange" Curry Powder

Ingredients:
2 T turmeric
2 T coriander
2 T cumin
1 T cayenne
1 T cardamom
1 T ginger
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves

Directions: Mix all together. Store in a mason jar.

Notes: This curry powder blends together all of my favorite curry flavors and highlights the ones that I like the best.  It is not traditional and doesn't go with any specific recipe.  It isn't a red, yellow, or green curry.  It's somewhere in between so I'll just call it orange.  I use it in basic, throw-together curry dishes as well as curried chicken salads and anything else that calls for generic "curry powder." I try use as many whole spices as I can get and grind them myself, this contributes to the aromatics and freshness.  Use fresh, good quality spices! It makes all the difference in the world!

Anna's Chai Spice Mix (and Chai Tea Recipes)

Anna's Chai Spice Mix

Ingredients:
2 T ginger
1 T cardamom
2 tsp white pepper
2 tsp cinnamon
5 whole cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Directions: Mix all together. Store in a mason jar.

Directions for making chai tea: Steep 1 tsp good-quality black tea leaves with 1/2-1 tsp chai mix per 1 cup of boiling water.  Let steep for 3 minutes.  Stir in a heap of honey and milk to taste.  Chai should be sweet and creamy, be generous!  It is also easy and delicious to add about 2 tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk in place of the milk and honey.  For iced chai, use 1/2 the amount of water for steeping.  After steeping, add sweetener and pour over a cup full of ice.  Add milk to taste.  Enjoy!!

Notes:  This spice mix is also great in recipes calling for generic "chai" such as muffins and granola.  I try use as many whole spices as I can get and grind them myself, this contributes to the aromatics and freshness. Use fresh, good quality spices! It makes all the difference in the world!

See my past post about chai for more chai fun!