Slow Cooker Beef Fajitas {Gluten-free, Crock Pot}

It's Tuesday! That means you can make tonight TACO TUESDAY! Okay, so they are fajitas technically but they're served in a soft taco tortilla so basically the same as tacos. If you're looking for a new and delicious option that's a bargain, these tasty fajitas are perfect. I buy beef stew meat in bulk, portion it out and freeze it. Stew meat is lean and can be stringy and tough if not cooked properly. Fortunately, it lends itself perfectly to slow cooker preparation and comes out tender and full of flavor. Click over here to see my recipe. Enjoy! ...click here for the recipe!

Korean Beef with Quinoa {Gluten-free}

My family loves this recipe! They ask me to make it nearly every time we make up our Weekly Menu. It's the perfect combination of sweet and savory! For this recipe, I kept it simple with just beef and quinoa, but typically I add a mound of fresh steamed broccoli alongside as well because that just screams delicious take out to me. This is my go-to when I'm out of ideas. Click over to type2diabetes.com to see my recipe. Try this next time you're craving take out but don't want to leave the house! Enjoy! ...click here for the recipe!

Cilantro Chicken Burrito Bowls {Gluten-free, Make Your Own Take Out}

This is one of my favorite things to make for a Friday night! If I haven't used my 1-take-out-per-week-card or if I'm saving it for Saturday, I like something delicious and EASY! This is such a delicious recipe, full of fresh flavors, protein and add in some corn chips and you'll feel like you're eating amazing take out. All you need on hand is some fresh lettuce, cilantro, red onion, the fixings for fresh Guacamole (lime, cilantro & avocado) and any other veggies that you want to use up. The rest is all things you probably have on hand. Click over to www.type2diabetes.com to see my recipe. ...click here for the recipe!

Pesto Pad Thai with Grilled Chicken {gluten-free, Make your own take out}

Happy Monday! Hope your weekend was fabulous and that your week is off to a great start. I've got a delicious dinner recipe here for you to try this week! This is such a fun and tasty twist on traditional pad thai with the addition of pesto!! It's also full of added veggies above and beyond the typical pad thai. You can sub in any nut butter or sunflower butter if peanuts are a no-go in your house. If you like a little heat add in some hot sauce and don't forget a sprinkle of red pepper flakes on top! Click here for my recipe. Enjoy! ...click here for the recipe!

Shredded Pork Tacos {gluten-free}

Tacos are a very popular dinner in our house. We use gluten-free corn tortillas, warmed on the stove-top to soften. It's perfect because everyone can personalize their taco with the toppings they like and we still achieve our goal of making one meal for everyone! Shredded pork that's tender and flavorful makes a fun new filling for tacos. We often have seasoned ground turkey in our tacos, which is tasty, but it can get old. I like to mix it up with different fillings and I especially love it when the slow cooker cooks for me! Click over to type2diabetes.com to see my recipe. Enjoy! ...click here for the recipe!

Slow Cooker Orange Chicken {Gluten-Free}

Who doesn't love orange chicken?  This is a great option for Make Your Own Take Out {MYOTO}at home! It does it's thing in the slow cooker and then just thicken up the remaining liquid at the end for a delicious sauce to drizzle on top. I used gluten-free tamari in place of the soy sauce when I made it for my family, but either one works great. It was fabulous with some fresh steamed broccoli and sprouted brown rice. Click over to type2diabetes.com to see my recipe. Enjoy! ...click here for the recipe!

Turkey Lettuce Wraps with Fresh Pineapple Salsa {Gluten-Free, Dairy-free, Grain-free}

Fresh and zippy, these turkey tacos are wrapped in lettuce instead of tortillas. I must confess I'm not a fan of pineapple but I've made it a point to not pass any pineapple aversions onto our kids. My awesome hubby came up with this salsa and my peeps love them some pineapple! I had my lettuce wraps with our fresh salsa instead and they were delicious. Check out our recipe over at type2diabetes.com. Enjoy! ...click here for the recipe!

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!

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!

Chicken Pesto Pizza with Sun Dried Tomatoes {Gluten Free}

Remember when I mentioned that we got a goodie box from Udi's with products to try?  Well there were some pizza crusts in there {tip: we froze them until we were ready to use them} and this week we put them to good use.  The Udi's gluten free pizza crust are so easy to work with, no prep needed just pile on your sauce and toppings.  They cooked up quickly and had a great toasty flavor and crispy thin crust!  We topped ours with our Basil-Kale Pesto sauce, grilled chicken slices, sauteed mushrooms and a sprinkling of tender sun dried tomatoes and goat cheese.  Bake per package directions until piping hot and fragrant.  It was out of control deelicious and the colors; so festive for Christmas.

Speaking of Christmas festivities, here are a few recipe ideas; things to make or take when celebrating with family and friends.

Appetizers/Sides:
Turkey "party" meatballs *substitute gluten free breadcrumbs
Bruschetta *use Udi's white sandwich bread, sliced in half
Chicken Satay Skewers with dipping sauce
Homemade Salsa
Spinach and Edamame Hummas Dip
Gluten Free Mushroom Fennel Stuffing

Sweet Treats:
Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake {Gluten Free}
Raspberry Sconies {Gluten Free}
Lemon Yogurt Cake {Gluten Free}
Black Bean Brownies {Gluten Free}
Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Millet Cookies {Gluten Free}

Merry Christmas to you sweet readers!  

May all your family gatherings be special 

and filled with tasty eats.  Enjoy!

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

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!

...click here for the recipe!

Chicken Almond Satay and Veggie Spring Rolls {Gluten Free}

This is a tasty dinner with an Asian flair.  Traditional satay is generally prepared with peanuts or peanut butter but why not try it with almond butter?  I love the more subtle flavor of the almond butter and the great richness it has as a tasty dipping sauce. Get your chicken in the marinade a few hours before dinner to really infuse some great flavor. We had our chicken almond satay with some steamed jasmine rice and some fabulous veggie spring rolls on the side. The spring rolls were stuffed with delicious veggies and are baked not fried. Check out our fun tip for adding some extra savory mushroom flavor to your recipes. Try this Make Your Own Take Out Dinner (MYOTO) tonight. Enjoy!

Chicken Marinade Recipe: (serves 6-8)
2 cups chicken broth
2 Tbsp Tamari
1/2 tsp rice vinegar
1/2 tsp ground ginger powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3 tbsp agave nectar
16 chicken tenders

Directions:
1. In a medium bowl combine broth, Tamari, rice vinegar, ground ginger, garlic powder and agave nectar. Place chicken tenders in a large resealable bag or shallow baking dish and pour the marinade over the top so that the chicken is mostly submerged. Allow chicken to marinate for 2-4 hours in the refrigerator.
2. Grill chicken on outdoor grill or grill pan over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes per side or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160'F. Remove from heat, cover and set aside.

Almond Satay Dipping Sauce Recipe:
Ingredients:
4 tbsp smooth almond butter
2 tbsp agave nectar
4 tbsp oat milk (or coconut milk)
1-1/2 tbsp tamari
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp rice vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground coriander
1/8 tsp Sriracha hot sauce

Directions: In a medium bowl whisk together all ingredients for the sauce until well combined and smooth. Drizzle sauce over chicken and bring more to the table for dipping.

Spring Rolls Recipe: (makes 12 rolls)
1 tbsp olive oil
1-2 cups mushrooms, sliced
4 heads bok choy, julienne
1 medium carrot, thinly sliced
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
2 radishes, thinly sliced
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
1 tbsp tamari
1 tsp mushroom powder, optional (ground dehydrated mushrooms see *TIP* below)
1/2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup of edamame, shelled (frozen is okay too)
12 spring roll papers (rice or tapioca paper)

*TIP* 

Finely grind dehydrated mushrooms in a food processor or spice grinder 

and add the fine powder to your dishes for added savory flavor

Directions:
1. In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, add olive oil and mushrooms.  Saute mushrooms until they are tender and browned, about 4-5 minutes.
2. Add the bok choy, carrots, celery and radishes to the pan and saute for about 2-4 minutes more. Add the chicken broth, tamari, mushroom powder, ginger, and salt and saute over medium heat about 7-10 minutes or until the liquid evaporates.
3. If using frozen edamame, place shelled edemame in a small bowl and cover with water; microwave on high for 3 minutes. Add edamame to the veggies in the pan.

4. Soak the spring roll paper in luke warm water until it starts to soften ~1 minute then shake off the excess water and place on a clean surface. Put 2-4 tbsp of the veggie mixture on the spring roll paper and wrap tightly. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray and place the roll with the end of the wrap down to hold it in place. Repeat for all 12 rolls. Bake at 450'F for 20 minutes or until heated through and golden brown.

...click here for the recipe!

Chicken Teriyaki {Crock Pot}

I'm sure you have noticed that we have been making mostly gluten free dinners (& sweets) around here and this is another one. My hubby decided to go gluten free about 9 months ago and has noticed a huge improvement in how he feels, particularly in the fact that he no longer has dry itchy skin or insomnia! Our boys and I are not 100% gluten free at all but when it comes to family dinners we feel strongly about eating together. We have never made "special kid food" for our boys, so for our dinners we all eat the same thing, which for now means gluten free.

One of my hubby's most favorite go-to meals is chicken teriyaki. It's high in protein, low in fat, gluten free and the rice is easy for him to digest. I decided to try making some at home. It turned out great and got the whole family's seal of approval. If you're feeling like a little Asian take-out try this instead. Enjoy!

Recipe: (serves 4)
Ingredients:
1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
3 Tablespoons rice vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (frozen is okay)
fresh cilantro, chopped for garnish

For the sauce:
2 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 1/2 teaspoons water

Directions:
1. In a medium bowl whisk together soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, water, ground ginger, garlic powder and pepper until combined. Place chicken in the bottom of your slow cooker and pour sauce over the top. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours.
2. Remove the chicken to a plate and cover to keep warm.  Pour the sauce from the slow cooker into a shallow saucepan over medium-low heat (be sure to skim off and discard any fat or small pieces of chicken first). In a small dish, combine the corn starch and water until the cornstarch is completely dissolved. Add the cornstarch mixture to the sauce in the pan and whisk gently for 5-7 minutes over low heat, allowing it to come to a gentle bubble until the sauce reaches desired thickness.
3. Plate chicken over some steaming Jasmine rice and pour thickened teriyaki sauce over the top. Garnish with fresh cilantro.  We served ours with some steamed fresh organic broccoli. ...click here for the recipe!

Fast Chicken Lettuce Wraps {Gluten Free}

My awesome hubby came up with this recipe that's perfect for a summer dinner! It's a faster version of my other lettuce wrap recipe but equally delicious. He added a bunch of fresh vegetables we had on hand and cut everything about the same size. Then just get some crunchy organic lettuce and stuff it with the tasty filling and enjoy!

Here's his Recipe: (serves 4+)
Ingredients:
4 medium carrots, chopped
2 grilled chicken breasts, cubed (lightly seasoned with salt and pepper)
1 medium zucchini, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh minced ginger root
1 tsp sesame oil (toasted)
3 tbsp olive oil
2-3 Tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
2-3 Tablespoons honey
salt to taste
2 tbsp chopped cilantro

lettuce leaves (butter lettuce or romaine work well).

Directions:
1. In a large saute pan over medium-high heat add olive oil and diced carrots. Saute for 5 minutes. Add minced garlic, minced ginger, sesame oil, and zucchini and saute for another 5 minutes. Add soy sauce and honey and chunked chicken and combine and let cook for a few more minutes. Remove from heat and mix in cilantro. Salt to taste. *I'm not exactly sure how much honey and soy sauce I put in so modify and taste as you go. ...click here for the recipe!

Orange Cashew Chicken {MYOTO}

This is another MYOTO meal, our {lighter} version of orange cashew chicken. I used fresh orange juice and zest to brighten the flavors and add sweetness. Add whatever vegetables you like, broccoli, snow peas or asparagus would be great too. Enjoy!

Recipe (Serves 4)
Ingredients:
olive oil
8 boneless skinless chicken tenders (or 3-4 chicken breasts)
salt and pepper
1 red bell pepper, cubed
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 small zucchini, slided (or any other veggie you like)
1 tablespoon fresh grated gingerroot
1/2 cup Hoisin sauce
zest and juice of 1/2 of a large orange
1/2 tablespoon Sriracha sauce (or your favorite hot sauce)
2 Tablespoons Reduced sodium Tamari
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons Potato Starch Flour (or all purpose flour)
1/2 cup toasted plain cashews
sliced scallions or cilantro for garnish

Directions:
1. Season chicken lightly with salt and pepper and place seasoned side down in a large skillet over medium-high heat, season the other side lightly. Sauté until cooked through to an internal temperature of 165'F about 5 minutes, remove from heat and set aside.
2. Add a drizzle of olive oil to the same pan and add the bell pepper, onion, garlic, gingerroot and zucchini and saute until tender about 5 minutes.
3. In a measuring cup mix together the hoisin sauce, orange juice, orange zest, Sriracha, tamari and chicken broth.
4. Once the chicken has rested for a couple minutes, cube into bite sized pieces and return to the vegetable mixture. Sprinkle the flour over the chicken and veggies then pour sauce mixture over and reduce heat to medium. Stir frequently until sauce thickens. Serve over Jasmine rice or brown rice sprinkled with cashews and scallions or cilantro. ...click here for the recipe!

Tandoori Chicken {Fake out MYOTO}

This is "fake out" Tandoori chicken, a popular Indian dish that I love. I don't know about you but I don't have a Tandoor oven at home. I tried to replicate the flavor with spices and zippy Greek yogurt and it turned out pretty good, my fam liked it too. Chicken thighs are traditionally used and it really adds to the flavor. This Indian inspired dish is full of flavor and spices without being too spicy. We served ours with some cool apple slaw and soft whole wheat Naan bread, yum!

Recipe: (Serves 4)
Ingredients:
6 oz Non-fat plain Greek yogurt (such as Fage brand)
the zest of 1 lime
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 tablespoon smoked paprika (this is different than regular paprika)
1/2 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon Garam Masala
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
salt and pepper
1 green apple, peeled and finely julienned
handful cherry tomatoes, quartered
the juice of 1 lime
2 scallions, fined sliced on an angled
1 tablespoon olive oil
Naan bread

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 500'F. In a medium bowl mix yogurt, lime zest and spices together until combined

2. Lightly season chicken with salt and pepper then using tongs dip chicken into yogurt mixture on all sides until coated.  Lay coated chicken on a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet.

3. Bake in 500'F oven for 17-20 minutes until blackened and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165'F and juices are clear.
4. For the apple slaw; mix together the julienned apple, tomatoes, lime juice, olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.
Serve chicken hot, topped with apple slaw and with some warmed Naan bread or steamed jasmine rice. ...click here for the recipe!

Bok Choy Stir-Fry

This is a quick and easy stir-fry I put together. This is similar to other stir-fry dishes I've blogged but this one has bok choy in it and I've gotten some questions about the best way to cook it. Bok choy tastes great with mild seasoning and light cooking as in this recipe. I served it up with some fluffy jasmine rice, since it's so quick cooking, but you can also try brown rice or wild rice. The chicken is coated in a garlicy hoisin sauce {from the bottle}, a quick and easy dinner tonight!

Recipe (Serves 4)
Ingredients:
7-8 chicken breast tenders
~1/4 cup of your favorite Asian stir-fry sauce
2 cups rice of your choice, prepared and set aside
4 medium carrots, sliced on an angle
1 cup snow peas
4-5 baby bok choy
1/2 large red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
4 green onions, sliced for garnish
1/4 red onion sliced in thin strips
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger root, grated
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
sesame seeds for garnish

Directions:

1. Start by preparing the bok choy, cut off the stem.

Leave the inner bok choy 'baby' intact.  Wash all leaves thoroughly under cool water


2. Coat chicken in stir-fry sauce and grill until it reaches an internal temperature of 165'F, ~3-5 minutes, set aside on a plate covered with foil to keep warm.  *I used our panini press for the chicken!

3. In a wok or large saute pan over medium heat add 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, garlic and ginger and stir constantly until fragrant about 1 minute.

Add in sliced carrots, bell peppers, onion and snow peas, stir-fry for 2 minutes.

4. Add in bok choy leaves, toss to coat.  Pour in 1/4 cup chicken broth and cover. 
Simmer for 3-5 minutes until vegetables are tender but colors are still vibrant.

5. Drizzle with a few drops of toasted sesame oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.  Serve with steamed rice and grilled chicken.  Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions. ...click here for the recipe!

Ginger Sesame Stir-fry

If your family likes Chinese food they'll love this MYOTO {Make your own take out} dish! It's packed with flavor from ginger and garlic and has lots of tasty veggies, you can use whatever veggies you have on hand. We has ours with some Jasmine rice, served with an ice cream scoop for easy portioning. My hubby said this dish was better than our favorite Asian restaurant! Enjoy!

Recipe (serves 4)
Ingredients:
8 boneless, skinless chicken breast tenders (or you can substitute 2 chicken breasts cut into strips)
3 tablespoons water
2 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 cup chicken broth
3 1/2 tablespoons Low sodium Tamari sauce - Gluten free (or soy sauce)
3 Tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 cups snow peas
1/2 bunch of asparagus (about 6 spears, chopped into 2 inch pieces)
2 medium carrots, sliced into planks
1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
2 cups broccoli florets
1/2 cup crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
4 green onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
fresh cilantro, chopped for garnish
sesame seeds, for garnish

2 cups Jasmine rice, cooked per package instructions

Directions:
1. Whisk water and cornstarch together in a bowl. Add Tamari sauce and rice vinegar, set aside.
2. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil to a large skillet over medium heat, add the vegetables and cook until tender, about 6-8 minutes.

3. Season the chicken lightly with salt and pepper and cook until reaches an internal temperature of 165'F, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove from heat, cut into bite-sized cubes and set aside.
4. Once vegetable mixture is cooked through, transfer it to a large bowl and set aside. In the same large saute pan you used to cook your veggies, reduce the heat to medium-low and add the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil. Add the ginger, green onions and garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally {don't burn}. Add the cornstarch mixture to the pan. Whisking constantly, bring to a simmer for 1-2 minutes to thicken the sauce.

5. Return the vegetable mixture and chicken pieces to the pan, toss to coat in the sauce for a few seconds then remove from the heat and serve hot, garnished with fresh chopped cilantro and a sprinkle of sesame seeds with a scoop of rice.

*Tip: I like to cook our rice in chicken broth instead of water to add even more flavor. ...click here for the recipe!

Pad Thai {Gluten Free}

My hubby made some awesome pad thai for us tonight! Talk about a fabulous MYOTO meal {make your own take out}. It was delicious and I think it was on par with our favorite thai restaurant, maybe even better because we enjoyed it at home and we know exactly what was in it. Interested in his recipe? Here is what he did

J's Pad Thai recipe {Gluten Free} (Serves 4)

Ingredients:
1 (16 oz) box of pad thai rice noodles [straight cut]
6-8 boneless, skinless chicken breast tenders (or 3 chicken breasts cut into strips)
1/8 - 1/4 tsp sea salt
2 eggs beaten with a wisk
1 lime for wedges
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (and some for garnish)
1/4 cup chopped shallots (green onions)
1/4 cup chopped peanuts
~1/4 cup peanut oil
1/4 cup shredded carrot (long shreds if possible)
1/2 cup bean sprouts (optional)

Sauce:
1/2 cup fresh lime juice (~3 limes) [in place of 1/2 cup of hard to find tamarind paste]
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup fish sauce
1 tbsp tamari (or soy sauce)
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes or Sriracha sauce (optional)

General tips:
Make everything ahead and put into little prep bowls. Then stir-fry one serving at a time in a hot wok. This will give you the best results with the texture of the noodles.

Directions:
1. Prepare noodles according to package directions (ie: soak noodles in very hot water for 25 minutes then drain).
2. To make the sauce, in a small pot over low-medium heat, combine the lime juice, brown sugar, fish sauce, tamari and red pepper flakes or Sriracha if using. Let simmer and stir occasionally for about 5-10 min. Then remove from heat and cover.
3. Heat wok over medium-high heat or if using an electric wok set temperature to 300-350'F. Add a tsp of peanut oil and peanuts and stir fry for 3 minutes until toasted. Remove and set aside.
4. Add 2 tbsp of peanut oil to the wok. Salt the chicken lightly and add it to the wok. Cook until slightly browned on both sides and the internal temperature is 155-160'F. Remove and set aside. After the chicken has rested about 5 minutes, cut into bite-sized chunks.
5. Now you are ready to prepare each portion, divide all ingredients into 4 equal parts to prepare 4 servings...
Add 1/4 of the beaten egg to your hot wok, scramble for about 20 sec. Add 1/4 of the rice noodles and about a tbsp of peanut oil. Sauté for about 1 minute stir gently to keep the noodles intact. Then add 1/4 of the chicken, 1/4 of the toasted chopped peanuts, 1/4 of the chopped green onions, 1/4 of the chopped cilantro, 1/4 of the shredded carrots and 1/4 of the bean sprouts (optional). Finally, add 1/4 of the prepared sauce and stir often but gently.

Pad Thai is done when everything is coated with sauce and is nice and hot (~2 min). There should be no watery sauce left - it should all be evaporated, soaked up, or coating the noodles. Remove from wok and serve immediately with a garnish of cilantro and lime wedges. Can sprinkle more peanuts on top if desired. ...click here for the recipe!

Teriyaki Chicken with Stir Fried Brown Rice

This is a tasty and slightly healthier version of a take out dinner.  It's a MYOTO meal.  I haven't done one these in awhile, it's a Rachael Ray acronym that stands for Make Your Own Take Out.  It's fun to recreate your favorite take out meals at home and be able to control what's in them.  See the category link on the right for some other tasty {MYOTO} recipes.  We had this rice along side some teriyaki chicken and a fresh green salad.  I marinated the chicken for about 10 minutes in this homemade sauce then threw it on the grill pan and because I used chicken breast tenders, they were ready in no time.  Instead of going out tonight...stay in and enjoy!

Recipe: Stir-Fried Brown Rice (Serves 6)
Ingredients:
* 2 cups uncooked long-grain brown rice
* 3‑1/2 cups water
* 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, divided
* 2 eggs, lightly beaten
* 1 medium yellow onion, sliced thinly
* 2 medium carrots, diced
* 1 cup frozen green peas
* 1 to 2 tablespoons Reduced Sodium Tamari or soy sauce *there are Gluten Free varieties available*
* 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
* Fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

Directions:
1. Bring 3 1/2 cups of water to a boil, add 2 cups brown rice, reduce heat to low and simmer 40-45 minutes until tender and all the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 10 minutes. {This is slightly less water than most packages recommend, that's so that your rice turns out slightly drier, while still be cooked completely, to make toastier fried rice, yum}
2. Heat wok over medium heat about 30 seconds or until hot. Drizzle 1 tablespoon vegetable or peanut oil into wok and heat 15 seconds. Add onions and carrots; stir-fry over medium-high heat about 3 minutes or until tender, remove and set aside.
3. Add eggs to wok and cook 1 minute or just until set on bottom. Turn eggs over and stir to scramble until cooked but not dry. Remove eggs to bowl; set aside.

4. Add cooked rice, peas, Tamari (or soy sauce) 1-2 tablespoons to taste and sesame oil; cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in eggs, carrots and onions and cook until heated through, stirring often. Transfer to warm serving dish. Garnish with cilantro. Serve immediately.


Recipe: Teriyaki Sauce {Gluten Free}
* 1/4 cup Low Sodium Tamari (or soy sauce) *there are Gluten Free varieties available*
* 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
* 2 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar
* 2 Tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
* 1/2 teaspoon ginger (fresh or powder)
* 2 cloves garlic (minced)
Mix well and enjoy

This makes a great marinade. I like to reserve a small amount {that hasn't touched the raw chicken} to use at the table as a sauce. For teriyaki chicken; marinate meat for ~10 minutes in teriyaki sauce then place on a grill over medium high heat until chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 160'F, remove to a plate, the meat will continue cooking to 165'F after you pull it off the grill. Serve hot with Stir-Fried Brown Rice.
This teriyaki sauce also works great for pork, vegetable kabobs, beef and tofu.
...click here for the recipe!