Category: Dairy Free

Smoky Slow Cooker Ribs #KingOfFlavor

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #KingOfFlavor #CollectiveBias

Smoky Slow Cooker Ribs #KingOfFlavor

 

The countdown to the football season is almost over! As a Philadelphian, I am very much in Eagles territory, where Sunday (and Monday night) schedules revolve around the birds. A huge part of watching the game (at least for me) is obviously the food!

 

One of my favorite game day foods is a rack of ribs. I don’t have a grill, so my go-to method to get fall-off-the-bone ribs is to use my slow cooker.

The best ribs have a little bit of heat to them, don’t you think? This recipe brings both some heat and smokiness with the use of two El Yucateco hot sauces: Red Habanero Hot Sauce and Black Label Reserve Hot Sauce.

I actually picked up three of El Yucateco’s hot sauces at Walmart (you can never have too much hot sauce on hand!) I found them in the Hispanic Food Section.

El Yucateco Red Habanero Hot Sauce is a combination of red habanero peppers, tomato, spices and seasonings. What sets El Yucateco apart from other hot sauces is that it has less vinegar, so the flavor (and kick!) of the pepper comes through more. The red habanero sauce is a great pantry hot sauce and is a great addition to everything from a Bloody Mary to wings. The tomato flavor in the red habanero hot sauce also makes it a great addition to a barbecue sauce!

El Yucateco’s Black Label Reserve Hot Sauce is made from fire roasted habaneros and has an awesome smoky flavor without being overpowering. This hot sauce works great with red meat, chili, and even chocolate! The Black Label Reserve Hot Sauce adds the smoky flavor of barbecued ribs to my slow cooker version!

El Yucateco also has a Green Habanero Hot Sauce, which  is a combination of green habanero peppers, garlic, spices and seasonings. This hot sauce is perfect with lighter foods — chicken, seafood, veggies, etc.

I’ve included two methods of cooking these ribs, based on if you’re watching a day or night game. I’m not going to lie, the results are best when you can cook the ribs at a lower temperature for a longer time, but are really delicious both ways!

 

Ingredients:

  • 3 lbs baby back ribs
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
  • 2 cups ketchup
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons El Yucateco Black Label Reserve Hot Sauce
  • 1 tablespoon El Yucateco Red Habanero Hot Sauce
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

Continue reading Smoky Slow Cooker Ribs #KingOfFlavor

Zucchini Pasta with Fresh Tomato Sauce

It’s probably no secret that I love pasta. My fiance and I eat it every Sunday night. But its so darn hot in Philadelphia right now and I’ve been craving something a bit less heavy to eat.

OXO must have known my pasta-loving dilemma because they sent me their new Hand-Held Spiralizer, which turns veggies into long thin spaghetti-like strands in no time!

Zucchini noodles (or “zoodles”) seem to be all the rage at the moment, so I was excited to try them out myself!

The OXO Hand-Held Spiralizer creates curly noodles from  long vegetables like zucchini, carrots, and cucumbers, while it’s open blade design accommodates round vegetables like beets, potatoes, and sweet potatoes. The food holder keeps hands safe from the blade and the easy non-slip grip container makes it simple to turn the Spiralizer. It is also BPA-free and dishwasher safe.

For this recipe, I decided to make a tomato sauce out of the fresh tomatoes I had in my house, so this recipe for Zucchini Pasta with Fresh Tomato Sauce is a very summery meal!

Note: I was sent an OXO Hand-Help Spiralizer to try for this post. Opinions are my own. 

 

Ingredients:

  • 9 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped (~3 cups)
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 6 zucchini squash
  • grated Parmesan cheese (omit to make dairy free)
  • fresh basil leaves, optional

Continue reading Zucchini Pasta with Fresh Tomato Sauce

Vanilla Almond Cupcakes with Plum Frosting

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SwapMilk4Silk #CollectiveBias

Everyone loves a nice, fluffy cupcake. I love when a cupcake is light and airy, with smooth and creamy frosting on top! One of the easiest ways to keep a cupcake moist and fluffy is to use yogurt in the batter. But that doesn’t mean your cupcakes can’t be dairy-free or vegan-friendly!

I really enjoy making vegan cupcakes; they are surprisingly simple to make and taste just as delicious as normal cupcakes (or, dare I say it, even better!) I became interested in vegan baking when I made cupcakes for my sister-in-law a couple of years ago. Since then, I’ve noticed how easy it is to make delicious baked goods that are dairy and egg free!

Silk dairy-free products are perfect for cupcakes, because they add additional flavor to the batter through their Vanilla and other flavored yogurts and milks.

To make these Vanilla Almond Cupcakes with Plum Frosting, I went to Walmart to pick up a Silk Half Gallon Vanilla Almond Milk and a couple of Silk Vanilla Yogurts. You can find them in the dairy aisle, with the normal milk and yogurts.

Silk Almond Milk has 50% more calcium that dairy milk, with no cholesterol and no saturated fat. Silk offers seven almond milk options, all 100 calories or less. I love Vanilla Almond Milk in my cereal, its so tasty!  Silk yogurt, made from soy, has 6 grams of soy protein per serving with no cholesterol and no artificial flavors or colors. The yogurt is dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegetarian.

Plums are in season at the moment and I absolutely love their flavor, so I decided to make a plum frosting. The delicious flavor of plums is enhanced with almonds and vanilla, so Silk products are perfect with plum!

 

Cupcakes:

  • 1 stick margarine (8 tablespoons), at room temperature
  • 1 1/3 cup sugar
  • 2 (5.3 oz) containers Silk Vanilla Yogurt (~1 cup)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups cake flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup Silk Vanilla Almond Milk

 

Frosting:

  • 3 plums, diced
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 stick margarine  (8 tablespoons), at room temperature
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • a pinch of salt
  • a couple drops blue food coloring, if desired
  • cinnamon, for garnish

Continue reading Vanilla Almond Cupcakes with Plum Frosting

Heirloom Gazpacho

This post is sponsored by Door-to-Door Organics. All opinions are my own. #MyFarm2Table

 

I was sent some beautiful Local Organic Heirloom Tomatoes from Door-to-Door Organics for my Farm-to-Table post. I love the colors of heirloom tomatoes, especially the lighter ones, so I wanted to use them in a way that highlighted their coloring. What better way to make heirloom tomatoes the star but in a Gazpacho recipe?

 

Now, the one typical setback of making gazpacho is going through the whole process of peeling and seeding tomatoes. So, for this recipe, I just eliminated it. I have a pretty awesome blender (a Blendtec) which blended the tomatoes well enough to basically eliminate the skins and seeds, so yours may come out a bit more chunky. But removing the skin of a tomato is just such a pain!

 

I served my silky smooth gazpacho topped with finely chopped cherry tomatoes and a Wild Flour Bakery Hearth Baked Mini Baguette that was also in my box from Door-to-Door Organics. The recipe also includes a green bell pepper and a jalapeno which were also a part of my box.

 

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups heirloom tomatoes, chopped (I used some yellow and red)
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 peeled cucumber, chopped
  • 1/2 cup onion, chopped
  • 1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • cherry tomatoes, chopped, optional

Continue reading Heirloom Gazpacho

Rockfish Tacos

This weekend, my fiancé went fishing with a friend and his friend’s father. They had quite a successful trip, and came home with a ton of Rockfish! Rockfish, also known as striped bass, is a mild whitefish that can be prepared many different ways, so I was jazzed!

We had some that night on the grill (yum!), but there was plenty left over, and my fiance’s friend was nice enough to send us home with more fish. I had a hankering for fish tacos, so these Rockfish Tacos are the end result! Rockfish, or striped bass, is the perfect balance of flaky and meaty, so it works wonderfully in tacos.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, diced
  • 1 tablespoon minced jalapeno
  • 1 tablespoon minced shallot
  • 1 tablespoon cilantro chopped, plus more for garnish
  • the juice and zest of 1 lime
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large fillet rockfish (striped bass), skin removed (~1.5 lb)
  • 1 tablespoon Mexican seasoning or taco seasoning
  • 8 corn tortillas, 6 inch
  • 1 avocado, sliced
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced red cabbage
  • 1 lime cut into wedges, for serving

Continue reading Rockfish Tacos

Salsa Recipe & Beginners Guide to Canning #CanItForward

This Saturday marks Jarden Home Brands fifth annual Can-It-Forward Day, which will be broadcast live online at FreshPreserving.com from 11AM – 4PM EST from the new state-of-the-art Jarden Home Brands headquarters in Fishers, Indiana.

 

An event celebrating the joys of fresh preserving, the -It-Forward Day webcast will have an integrated chat function where viewers can submit their home canning questions to be answered in real time. New this year, there will also be an exciting celebrity mason jar auction unveiled during the webcast!

 

To celebrate, I was sent a Ball Canning Discovery Kit (paid link), Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving (paid link), Red Design Series Lids, and Ball Fiesta Salsa Mix (paid link).

 

My future sister-in-law is big into canning, and I’ve “helped” (a.k.a kept her company in the kitchen) once before, but the process of canning is really intimidating to me. I was told that if I can boil water, I can can, so I was both wary and excited to try this out!

I need to give a little shout out to my city, because the Mason jar was, in fact, invented and patented in Philadelphia in 1858 by local tinsmith John Landis Mason. So, this should be in my blood, right?

 

 

  • The Ball Canning Discovery Kit  is a great beginners kit; it comes with a canning rack that fits into most pasta pots, a recipe guide, and three jars. The kit is really affordable ($11.99) and allows you to assess if canning is for you before investing fully into the process.
  • My sister-in-law assured me that if I had a Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving, I’d be just fine canning. So. WHEW. This book lays out each step of the process (and even tells you why you are doing it this way) to ensure a successful canning process. The step-by-step guides are particularly helpful as a beginner.
  • The Red Design Series Lids are normal lids and bands, just prettier.  🙂 The lids can only be used once during canning, so it’s helpful to have extras on hand. (You can reuse the jars and bands as many times as you want)
  • The Ball Fiesta Salsa Mix makes the process of seasoning salsa super easy. You just need fresh or canned tomatoes, a splash of vinegar, and the mix to make a yummy salsa!

 

I decided to make a salsa from the Ball Blue Book, but adapted it slightly to include the Ball Fiesta Salsa Mix. The recipe is simple, and is basically just cutting up the ingredients, so this post is more about the canning process than the actual recipe.

I am absolutely a beginner with this, but luckily was able to glean some tips from my sister-in-law and the Ball Blue Book, which I will share as well.

I also am giving away a coupon for a free case of jars! Details at the end of the post. 

 

Zesty Salsa (adapted from Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving)

Yields ~3 pint jars

Ingredients:

  • 5 cups chopped cored peeled tomatoes (fresh or canned)
  • 4 green bell peppers, seeded and chopped (~2.5 cups)
  • 1 large onion, chopped (~2.5 cups)
  • 1 large jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped (~3 tablespoons)
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 2/3 cup cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup Ball Fiesta Salsa Mix

Gear:

  • Ball canning rack with lifter
  • 3 Ball Pint Jars with lids and bands (I used the Red design series lids and bands)
  • Large stockpot (at least 7.5 inches tall and 9.5 inches in diameter)
  • a non-metallic spatula (I ended up using chopsticks. They worked just fine)
  • A clean, damp towel to wipe rims of jars

Continue reading Salsa Recipe & Beginners Guide to Canning #CanItForward

One-Pot Chicken with Lemon & Rosemary

I am kind of obsessed with Zwilling JA Henckel’s knife of the month. It became my favorite knife overnight! The ZWILLING Pro 8″ Ultimate Serrated Chef’s Knife lives up to its name. This bad boy can be used for basically anything. The serrated edge is comprised of large and small scallops, which helps the knife stay share longer than a fine-edged chef’s knife.

From the website: Precision forged from a single piece of high-carbon, no-stain steel, the SIGMAFORGE® blade is exceptionally sturdy yet flexible. The FRIODUR® blade is ice hardened, making it extremely sharp and durable. The knife is hand ground and polished, then the angle of the cutting edge is checked with precise laser technology. The durable ABS resin handle is ergonomically shaped for a comfortable grip and is triple riveted to the blade.

I have been using it for anything and everything; fruits, veggies, meat, you name it! I typically gravitate towards Santoku knifes so I was surprised how comfortable I was using this chef’s knife. It works great to chop and thinly slice, but is super sharp so be sure to take care where your fingers are when using it (as you should when using any knife).

 

I chose a recipe highlighting this knife’s chopping skills, but it also works great on produce with more delicate out layers like tomatoes, and can even be used to slice chicken breasts with ease.

This recipe is adapted from a Rachel Ray recipe, so you know it’s a quick and simple recipe with tons of flavor. Per her suggestion, you should definitely have a loaf of bread on hand to dip into the yummy sauce!

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 6 pieces bone-in, skin-on chicken (I used a chicken broken down- 2 breasts, 2 drumsticks, 2 thighs)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic, sliced
  • 1 bulb fennel, chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 2 cups dry white wine
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
  • Crusty bread, to pass at table

 

Continue reading One-Pot Chicken with Lemon & Rosemary

Homemade Fresh Salsas and Keeping #NaturallyClean with Clorox Green Works

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.
#NaturallyClean #CollectiveBias

 

Having a blog means that I tend to do a lot of cooking for larger groups. I usually show up to any gathering with at least one appetizer or snack for a crowd. Cooking for groups can be a bit of a challenge in my small apartment, so it’s crucial that I can reuse kitchen tools while making different parts of a recipe!

 

Clorox Green Works has a great new product, Pump ‘N Clean, now available in Target. Green Works Pump ‘N Clean can be found in the green section of the cleaning aisle, with the rest of the Clorox Green Works line.

The whole Clorox Green Works line cleans thoroughly and powerfully without using harsh chemicals or leaving any residue. The line includes wipes, dish soaps, detergents, and cleaners that are made with plant- and mineral-based cleaning ingredients. The products are not tested on animals and use environmentally sustainable packaging whenever possible.

From June 14-July 11, you can use the Target Cartwheel app to save 10% on all Green Works products.

 

The Pump ‘N Clean product is both a time saver and a way to keep your kitchen clean and safe. It’s food-safe, so you can use it to clean your knives and cutting boards in between cutting veggies and fruits! (Green Works Pump ‘N Clean is not to be used to clean up after raw meat or raw fish.) To use, just place a dish towel or sponge on top of the Pump ‘N Clean and press down to dispense the liquid. Use the dish towel/sponge to clean your knifes, counters, stove top, whatever needs cleaning! It’s easy to clean are you are cooking, which is a huge time saver!

I wanted to make two different salsas for a friend’s party, a traditional fresh salsa, and a fruit salsa. The traditional salsa is made of fresh tomatoes, red onion, and jalapeno, while the fruit salsa is filled with berries, pineapple, oranges and kiwifruit.  Obviously, mixing the flavors of these two would ruin them both, so it was important that I was able to quickly clean both my knife and my cutting board!

Ingredients:

Fresh Salsa:

  • 3 plum tomatoes, chopped and seeded
  • 1 red onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 jalapeno, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Fruit Salsa:

  •  1/2 cup strawberries, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup blueberries, halved
  • 1/4 cup raspberries, quartered
  • 1 medium orange, peeled and chopped
  • 3 medium kiwifruit, peeled and chopped
  • 1  (8 oz) can unsweetened crushed pineapple, drained
  • the juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 teaspoon sugar

Continue reading Homemade Fresh Salsas and Keeping #NaturallyClean with Clorox Green Works

Crispy Trout with Warm Parsley-Caper Vinaigrette

I’m in another busy period of work, so expect a lot of quick weeknight dinner meals! Seafood is always a favorite quick meal of mine, and this recipe from Cooking Light’s latest issue is ready in no time! I paired it with an adaptation of a Bon Appetit Couscous recipe.

 

 

The trout is pan seared and then topped with a chunky warm parsley-caper vinaigrette. I’d suggest doubling the recipe so you have some to toss into the couscous!

 

Ingredients:

Couscous:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 2/3 cups water
  • the zest of one lemon
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 cups plain couscous
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Trout:

  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • the zest of one lemon
  • the juice of one lemon
  • 1 tablespoon capers, drained
  • 4 (6-ounce) trout fillets
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 lemon wedges (optional)

Continue reading Crispy Trout with Warm Parsley-Caper Vinaigrette

Pulled Pork Lettuce Wraps

I am a carb fanatic — I’d eat pasta with some day-old bread every single day if I could. But on really hot summer days, sometimes you need something that feels lighter while still filling you up. Cooking Light’s Pulled Pork Lettuce Wraps are a nice filling meal that are perfect on warm days; pulled pork is wrapped in Boston Bibb lettuce rather than added to a roll. The result is a super yummy and crunchy dinner!

I use my slow cooker year-round and this adaptation is no exception. Slow Cookers are such a simple way to get an awesome meal on the table in no time. Plus, it gives your oven a break!

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 white onion, quartered
  • 1 (2 1/2-pound) boneless pork shoulder, trimmed
  • 1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
  • 2 tablespoons sherry
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted chicken stock
  • 1 tablespoon gochujang (Korean chile paste) (gluten free is available)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce (or coconut aminos to make gluten free)
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
  • 30 Boston lettuce leaves (about 2 heads)
  • 1 cup thinly sliced radishes
  • Lime wedges (optional)

Continue reading Pulled Pork Lettuce Wraps

Grilled Shrimp on Sugarcane with Coconut Rum Glaze

I live in an apartment that has no outdoor space, so we clearly do not have access to a grill, which is causing me to only want grilled food! Luckily, I have a grill pan so I can get my fix, and I’ve been using it nonstop!

 

 

A really simple weeknight favorite of mine is to grill up some shrimp and serve over rice. This recipe is quick and easy to make, but delivers on flavor! Blue Chair Bay Rum sent me a bottle of their Coconut Rum that I knew would be perfect for a glaze on grilled shrimp. The glaze caramelizes beautifully, adding a nice char and sweetness to the shrimp.

 

I adapted this recipe from a Cooking Light recipe, adding more hints of coconut to play off of the Blue Chair Bay Coconut Rum.

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • the juice of one lime
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 24 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 1 1/2 pounds)
  • 6 sugarcane swizzle sticks, each cut into 2 pieces
  • 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup Blue Chair Bay Coconut Rum
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • Cooking spray
  • Coconut rice, if desired

Continue reading Grilled Shrimp on Sugarcane with Coconut Rum Glaze

New Jersey Style Loco Moco

One of my favorite cookbooks is Love and Olive Oil‘s Breakfast for Dinner. (I did a post highlighting their Huevos Rancheros Tacos a while back.) So it’s probably not surprising that I make a few recipes from this cookbook on a regular basis. One that I love to make in particular is their version of the Hawaiian dish Loco Moco.

 

 

Typical Loco Moco is usually made with white rice, topped with a hamburger patty (or spam), a fried egg, and brown gravy. Love and Olive Oil’s version substitutes coconut sticky rice for the white rice, uses ground pork instead of the hamburger patty, and finishes the dish off with a sweet-spicy-salty soy sauce reduction rather than brown gravy.

I decided to alter their recipe slightly to give it a local spin; this version is topped with pork roll (or Taylor ham) instead of the ground pork, and this recipe for New Jersey-style Loco Moco was born!

Pork Roll is originally from Trenton, New Jersey (hence the name of this post), but can also be found in parts of Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland. The pork product is thinly sliced and pan fried and is a staple in most breakfast places in the area.

adapted from Love and Olive Oil’s Loco Moco Recipe

Ingredients:

Coconut Rice:

  • 2 cups white sticky rice
  • 1 cup coconut milk

Soy Reduction:

  • 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce (or low sodium coconut aminos to make gluten free)
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 teaspoon sriracha

Toppings:

  • 4 slices pork roll
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
  • 4 large eggs
  • ground pepper, to taste
  • 4 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 4 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh cilantro

 

Note: White sticky rice is sold as sweet rice and can be found at specialty grocers and Asian food stores. I was able to find it at Wegman’s.

 

Continue reading New Jersey Style Loco Moco

Slow Cooker Saucy Chicken Over Rice

This Slow Cooker Saucy Chicken Over Rice is one of my favorite go-to recipes, so I was really surprised to find that I hadn’t shared it on my blog yet!

My fiance is a runner, so I tend to make this recipe a few days before the race because it has a nice balance of carbs and protein with no dairy. (Note: every runner is different and has their own preferred menu on the days leading up to a race, this just happens to be one of my fiance’s favorites.)

This recipe from MyRecipes.com is a really simple slow cooker meal that involves about 15 minutes prep in the morning before popping everything into the slow cooker. The result is a yummy, tender, chicken recipe that freezes and reheats great as well! I’ve adapted the recipe slightly, but the general concept is still there. If you’d like to see the original, visit MyRecipes.com.

Ingredients:

  • 4 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs (or 2 lbs thighs and 2 lbs drumsticks)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small onion, chopped (about 1/3 cup)
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/3 cup dry white wine
  • 2 tablespoons dried Italian seasoning
  • 1 tablespoon dried tarragon
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 3 cups hot cooked rice

Continue reading Slow Cooker Saucy Chicken Over Rice

Natural Balance Foods- Healthy Cereal Bars and Snacks

A while back, I was contacted by a healthy snack company based out of Britain called Natural Balance Foods. Their Eat Nakd Bars are snack bars made from natural ingredients including fruits and nuts and are gluten free, wheat free, and dairy free with no added sugars.

 

The company was kind enough to send me a bunch of the Nakd Bars to try, including their Cashew Cookie and Berry Delight Bars, which were my two favorites.

I brought a bunch of the Nakd Bars hiking and they were the perfect portable treat for the day. (I actually ended up spraining my ankle and spent most of my day at the base of the mountain, but hey, sprains work up an appetite as well!)

 

These little bars don’t skimp on flavor and are a great on the go snack for busy days.

 

So, what sets Eat Nakd apart from the rest?

 

A typical cereal bar can contain as many as 30 ingredients, many of which I can’t really pronounce.

It only takes 35 minutes to make an Eat Nakd bar, from start to finish, while a baked cereal bar can take almost 4 hours to process.

 

The lack of sugars doesn’t result in a cardboard tasting bar, however. The bars typically are made with dates, which adds natural sweetness to the other flavors. Eat Nakd currently has nine different bars, so it’s worth trying them all to find your favorite!

 

The company also has Eat Nākd Crunch bars which are are dairy, wheat and gluten free, packed with soya crunchies for extra protein to keep you feeling fuller for longer, and are completely vegan friendly. Flavors include Banana, Strawberry, Apple and Cocoa.

 

I enjoyed these bars so much that I want you to be able to try them too! One I Can Cook That Reader will will an Eat Nakd Sampler Box! The Sampler Box includes one of each of their yummy bars —

  • One of each 9 Eat Nakd fruit and nut bar flavors; Rhubarb & Custard, Caffe Mocha, Cocoa Orange, Cashew Cookie, Pecan Pie, Berry Delight, Cocoa Mint, Ginger Bread and Cocoa Delight (9x 35g bars)
  • One of each 4 Eat Nakd Crunch bars: Apple Crunch, Strawberry Crunch, Banana Crunch and Cocoa Crunch (4x 30g bars)

 

Use the widget below to enter. Also, be sure to check out their website and pick up some of the bars for yourself — because Natural Balance Foods is relatively new to the U.S., they are currently offering free shipping on all U.S. orders!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thai Basil Chicken Stir Fry

I have been having a crazy couple of weeks, so despite cooking a bunch of weeknight-friendly meals, I haven’t had much of a chance to write any posts to share those recipes! This one is too tasty to not share right away though.

 

This Thai Basil Chicken Stir Fry from Cooking Light’s latest issue is super simple and really flavorful. I served it with Cashew and Green Onion Rice (because I didn’t have any bulgar on hand) and it was an awesome complement!

 

The whole recipe took about 20 minutes to make (including the rice) so it’s a nice option for busy weeknights. I made a couple of substitutes to the original recipe, so be sure to check out the original to see if it’s more your style.

 

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 poblano chile, thinly sliced
  • 1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into bite sized pieces
  • 2 red bell peppers, sliced
  • 1 onion, vertically sliced into thin slices
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

 

Continue reading Thai Basil Chicken Stir Fry

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