Cashew Lime Chicken Satay {Gluten Free}

This is a spin off from our Chicken Almond Satay with the switch up of a few things, namely substituting cashews for the almonds.  It turned out to be very tasty and nutty and the dipping sauce is just the right balance of savory and sweet.  This chicken pairs well with our fresh Vegetable Spring Rolls for a fun Make Your Own Take Out dinner at home.  Enjoy!

Recipe: (makes ~10 chicken tenders)
Ingredients:
10-12 chicken tenders

Marinade Ingredients:
1 cup water
3-4 Tablespoons lime juice (~2 limes juiced)
2 Tablespoons tamari sauce
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup cashews
1 Tablespoon light olive oil
1/4 teaspoon roasted sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Dipping Sauce Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons water
1 Tablespoons lime juice (~1 lime)
1 Tablespoon tamari
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 Tablespoon light olive oil
1/8 teaspoon roasted sesame oil
1/3 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 c cashews
7 Tablespoons packed brown sugar

Directions:
1. Combine all Marinade ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.   Place chicken tenders in a large bowl and cover with marinade, for up to one hour
2. Remove chicken from marinade (discard marinade) and grill on a hot grill or grill pan, flipping once until it reaches an internal temperature of 165'F.
3. Combine all the dipping sauce ingredients in a clean blender and blend until smooth.  Serve along side hot skewers.

...click here for the recipe!

Vegetable Spring Rolls {Gluten Free}

My hubby and I got to have a fun date day out a couple weeks ago for my birthday and one of our stops was at a fabulous Thai restaurant.  We ordered their fresh spring rolls and loved the crunchy fresh filling and chewy rice paper wrappers and tasty dipping sauce.  This is my husband's recreation of those and the whole fam loved them.  Serve them up with our Cashew lime Chicken Satay or Chicken Almond Satay for dinner tonight. Enjoy!

Recipe: (makes about 10 spring rolls)

Ingredients:

rice/tapioca paper "aka spring roll skin"

1 avocado, thinly sliced 

1 mango, sliced into thin matchsticks

4oz bean sprouts 

1/2 cucumber, sliced into thin matchsticks

2 medium carrots, sliced into thin matchsticks

4 large lettuce leaves, julienne

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped   

Dipping sauce:

equal parts agave nectar and fresh squeezed lime juice

Directions:

1. Submerge 1 paper in lukewarm water for about 5 seconds and place on a cutting board.  Place a second paper into the water again for about 5 seconds then lay the second paper on top of the first.  

2. Fill the roll as shown below with avocado, mango, bean sprouts, cucumber, carrots, lettuce and cilantro.

3. Roll it up like a burrito

4. Fold each side over then roll the rest of the way over.  The paper will stick to itself.

5. Repeat until you've used up all you tasty filling.  Slice each roll in half at an angle.  Serve with a drizzle of dipping sauce over the top.

...click here for the recipe!

Millet Buckwheat Pancakes {Gluten Free, Dairy Free}

We have always enjoyed homemade pancakes around here thanks to my hubby's love of baking and enjoying hot breakfasts.  Homemade, as in not from a store-bought mix, taste great.  In the last few years he's been perfecting his recipe for a gluten free version, remember his delicious Pumpkin Buckwheat Pancake recipe?  The combination of ingredients in these are always changing (I think that's half the fun of it for him) and this will likely not be his last version but it's certainly worth sharing with you.  They have such a wonderful light and fluffy texture you may not even guess they're gluten free and dairy free.  He mixes up the dry ingredients in a large batch ahead of time, which we store it in large mason jars in the pantry, to speed things up in the morning.  This recipe is written so that you can make a double batch of the dry ingredients at a time.  Top with your favorite fresh fruit or berry puree (recipe coming soon).  Enjoy!

Recipe: (makes about 40 3-4" pancakes)
Ingredients:

coconut oil or butter for your pan

Dry Ingredients:
2 cups white rice flour
3/4 cup tapioca starch
1 cup buckwheat flour
2-1/2 cup millet flour
1-3/4 teaspoon sea salt
6 teaspoons aluminum free, GMO-free, baking powder

Wet Ingredients: 
2 Tablespoons light olive oil
1 egg (or egg substitute)
1 1/2 Tablespoons evaporated cane sugar
1/4 cup organic apple sauce
2 1/4 cup water

Directions:
1. Mix wet ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients until well combined.  Divide dry mixture in half and save HALF of the dry mix for another day.
3. Add HALF of the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredient mixture, stir to combine.
4. Preheat a flat griddle over medium heat. Use a very light coating of coconut oil/butter on your griddle for every other batch of pancakes.

{Coconut oil doesn't add any flavor and it has a higher smoke point

 than other oils so it stays around instead of smoking/burning off}

5. Test to see if your pan is ready by flicking it lightly with water, if the water drips dance then your pan is hot and ready to use.  Pour with a 1/4 cup measuring cup into 3-4" pancakes onto the griddle.

6.  Cook for about 1 minute on each side or until just golden brown and flip-able.

7. Stack the pancakes in a pile so they can soften from the steam.  This makes them moist and just chewy enough to not know they are gluten free.

...click here for the recipe!

Farm Fresh to You, Capay Organic - CSA {Sponsored Post}

I wanted to share with you about our CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) that we've been enjoying for about 6 years now.  We use (California Based) Farm Fresh to You, Capay Organic.  

It's a great way to support local while eating tasty, seasonal, organic, nutrient-rich produce.  

Above you can see all the goodies in our box this week {the small "no cooking" box}

1 huge head of green leaf lettuce, 4 Fuji apples, 3 Naval oranges, 7 Murcott oranges, 2 Hass Avocados(that's right, 2!), 1 bunch Nantes carrots, 1/4 pound mushrooms & 1 huge Romanesco 

All delicious, all organic!

My favorite part?  

They deliver!  

That's right.  Their pricing includes delivery. With three kiddos 5 and under we love the convenience of stepping out our front door to find our box each week.  You can visit their website and see what's planned for the following week's deliveries, but we like to be surprised.   It's always fun to open up our box and see what's inside; like opening a present.  They offer office delivery too!

Have you tried a CSA before?  Are you worried, like we were, that you won't eat all the veggies in time?  I'd like to share some things we've learned that help us best utilize our CSA box...

1. Be mindful of your produce shopping before your box arrives.  

We like our produce drawers to be almost empty just before our box arrives with more goodies to fill them up.  This way you don't end up with more produce than you could possibly eat.  We certainly don't want any of it to go to waste; we see it has an investment in our family's long-term health.

2. Choose the box that's right for your family.  

We played around a bit with all the different offerings from Farm Fresh to You before 

settling on the combo that works for us and gives us the right amount of produce for our needs.  

Right now, for our family of 5 (3 little ones), we get a small box every week.  For fun and variety, we

alternate between the "small no cooking" and the "small mixed" boxes each week.  

3. Eat a fruit or vegetable (or two) at every.single.meal and snacks too!  

You may be surprised how quickly you can finish off all that yumminess!  Juice your produce or add it to a smoothie - greens too.  Rather than worry about making our produce last all week, 

we just start eating it, snacking on it and cooking with it right away.  

Fresher is always best.  You may find that you'll need to order a bigger box!

4. Edit your preferences

This, in my opinion, is such an awesome feature that Farm Fresh To You offers it's customers.  You can log-on their website anytime, 24/7, and edit your preferences and delivery schedule.  For example, we have a gorgeous lemon tree in our yard, so even though the Capay Organic lemons are great, we just don't need any more lemons.  With the click of a box I can add them to our "exclusions" list along with a few things I know my family just will not eat.  Also, if you're going on a trip or won't be around for a few days you can modify your delivery schedule, box type or delivery frequency. 

 Easy Peasy.  

5. Be adventurous, try something new!

Don't add everything you may be leery of to your exclusion list, try new things!  

In each Farm Fresh to You box you'll find an informative and entertaining letter that paints a picture of life on the farm and also includes a couple recipes to get your creative juices flowing with ideas on ways to prepare the items in your box.  Step out of your food comfort zone and have fun!

We recently added Pasture-Raised eggs to our delivery service and couldn't be happier!  

They have such rich, deep colored yolks and wonderful flavor!

Sure we'd love to have our own chickens someday, but for now, this is the next best thing.  

Interested in farm fresh produce delivered right to your door?  

Try Farm Fresh to You and get $10 off your first box with 

promo code "wdin"

...click here for the recipe!

Chicken Butternut Squash Taquitos {Gluten Free}

These are a fun spin-off from our original Chicken Taquitos.  We combined savory beans, juicy chicken and sweet, nutrient-packed, butternut squash, in a crispy baked shell, truly a scrumptious taquito!  The beans and squash add such rich flavor and keep the taquitos from drying out.  Make a bunch, dip in some yummy salsa or homemade guacamole, and serve them up with a crisp green salad for dinner tonight {and lunch tomorrow}.  Enjoy!

Recipe: (makes ~48 mini shell taquitos or 24 standard shell taquitos)

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts {Prepare using our Crock Pot Chicken Recipe}

1 medium butternut squash {need ~ 1 1/2 cups of cooked squash}

1 (15 oz) can Vegetarian Re-fried Beans (or 1 1/2 cups Slow Cooker Pinto Beans, smashed)

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

the juice of 1 lime

1-2 tablespoons light olive oil

2 packages (24 each) "Taco Sliders" size Organic corn tortillas {We love MiRancho brand; GMO-free}

We used "taco sliders" size Organic corn tortillas (pictured right) 

or you could use standard taco size tortillas (pictured left) and the recipe will have about half the yield

Directions:
1. Get your Crock Pot Chicken started using 4 chicken breasts (recipe here), and allow at least 4 hours for it to cook {TIP: we like to start it in the morning, roll the taquitos during nap time then bake off at dinner}.  Once it's cooked remove chicken from broth and coarsely shred using two forks. {You can also cook the chicken a day ahead; drain the cooked chicken and store in the fridge}

2. Carefully slice butternut squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds with a spoon.  Place squash, cut side down, in a large baking dish filled with about 1/2 inch of water.  Bake @ 350'F for 20-30 minutes until tender.  Allow to cool slightly then with a spoon, scoop out the bright orange flesh.  You will need about 1 1/2 cups of cooked squash for this recipe.

3. In a large bowl, add the shredded chicken, 1 1/2 cups re-fried beans, 1 1/2 cups of cooked squash, 1/2 cup chopped cilantro and the juice of 1 lime and stir until well combined.

 4. In flat bottomed skillet over medium-high heat add 1/2-1 T of light olive oil.  Once the oil is hot, place a tortilla on the skillet for about 5-10 seconds, only on ONE side.  This is to allow them to roll without splitting.

5. Remove the tortilla from the pan and place it, oiled side down, on the edge of a baking sheet with some of the tortilla hanging over so it's easier to grab the end.  Fill the dry side of the tortilla with about 3 tablespoons of the filling {more if using standard taco size tortillas} and gently roll into a taquito.

6. Bake 12-14 taquitos at a time spread out on a baking sheet, at 450'F for 15-18 minutes until golden and crisp.  Serve hot with fresh salsa and guacamole for dipping.

...click here for the recipe!

Our Weekly Menu {Gluten Free} 03.03.13

Hello sweet readers!  Do you menu plan?  Since we started intentionally menu planning, we are buying less, spending less, wasting less, eating out less and loving how easy our weeknight dinner preparation has been!  My hubby and I plan the menu together with the kids interjecting their two cents.  Our five year old is currently writing out our grocery list, in his adorable Kindergarten handwriting, so he and I can hit the grocery store this afternoon.  My little shopping helper.  Keep checking back or Subscribe Via Email to check out our new recipes coming soon!  Have a great week!


SUNDAY: Chicken Butternut Squash Taquitos with green salad {a spin-off of our Chicken Taquitos}

MONDAY: Potato-Kale Soup with Gluten Free Cornbread

TUESDAY: Vegetable Spring Rolls with Chicken Cashew Satay Skewers {recipes coming soon}

WEDNESDAY: Thai Chicken and Vegetable Bowls {recipe coming soon}

THURSDAY: Turkey Tacos with Homemade Salsa making a double batch to bring dinner to friends who just had a new baby!

FRIDAY: take out with a side of veggies from our Farm Fresh to You CSA box

SATURDAY: making & delivering a Taco Dinner to another sweet family who just had a baby!  So the boys will be feasting again on some variation of turkey, beans and tortillas (I'll be making a big batch), while I go out with friends for Ladies Night Out!

Check out all Our Weekly Menu posts for more ideas and inspiration.

Follow Wholesome Dinner Tonight on Pinterest where you can eat with your eyes!

I'm linking up with Jo-Lynne's, Gluten Free Weekly Meal Plan over at Musings of a Housewife

&

 Menu Plan Monday at orgjunkie.com

...click here for the recipe!

Spring Vegetable Saute with Pesto Pasta and Chicken Sausage {Gluten Free}

We have had the most beautiful weather here in Northern Cali lately and the fresh produce is amazing.  This dish is jam packed with tons of fresh veggies, many of which came in our CSA box this week from Farm Fresh to You.  How pretty is that fun Romanesco?  My boys call is dinosaur broccoli.  I would have put some crisp asparagus in this too but we ate it all when my hubby added it to his Homemade Sushi Rolls the night before.  We added all natural, sweet Italian-style chicken sausage that's casing free and it added a huge punch of flavor; or you can add your favorite meat substitute and make this dish completely vegan.  Serve it all on top of a pile of Quinoa Gluten-Free Pasta coated with our Kale-Basil Pesto for a delicious, Spring-inspired dinner tonight.  Enjoy!

Just for fun I measured all the vegetables I used to give you an idea of volume, should you choose to substitute with veggies you have on hand, and there were 16 cups of chopped vegetables!  16 cups people!  Love that.

Recipe: (serves 6-8)
Ingredients:
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
12 oz. mushrooms, sliced (button or baby bella)
1 zucchini, cubed
4-6 small carrots, cubed
4 cups fresh baby spinach
1 head romanesco, cut into florets
12 oz or about 4 cups of haricot verts a.k.a. skinny green beans, cut into thirds 
5 casing-free chicken sausage links, sliced 
4 cups gluten-free quinoa penne style pasta (or any pasta of your choice)
1/4 + Kale-Basil Pesto
salt
reserved pasta cooking water
Parmesan cheese, grated for garnish


Directions:
1. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil over high heat.
2. Add mushrooms, zucchini and carrots to a large saute pan and drizzle lightly with olive oil.

3. Saute over medium high heat about 7-10 minutes or until tender but still al dente, then add the sausage stirring often so it has a chance to brown.
4. Once your water is boiling, Add about 1/2 teaspoon salt to the water and add in your pasta.  It's important to under cook it slightly, especially with gluten free pasta.  The package I used says to cook for 6-7 minutes so I cooked it for about 5-6.

5. Before you drain your pasta reserve some of that starchy pasta water.

6. Add in the green beans, spinach and romanesco to your pan and continue to saute.  Add in about 1/4 cup of hot pasta water to create some steam and help deglaze the pan.

7. After you drain your pasta, return it to the warm pot OFF THE HEAT and add in 2 heaping tablespoons of your pesto sauce and a couple tablespoons of the reserved pasta water.  Stir to combine.

8. Add in more pesto and more pasta water until you have the desired amount of sauce.  I went alittle heavy on the pesto because we love it and so that it would stand up well with all the sauteed veggies.

9. To plate, add some pasta to your plates then top with colorful and tasty veggies!

Sprinkle lightly with Parmesan cheese if you like and enjoy!

Interested in Farm Fresh Produce delivered right to your door?  Try Farm Fresh to You and get $10 off your first box with promo code "wdin"
...click here for the recipe!