CROCK POT HONEY GINGER CHICKEN (Gluten Free)

This chicken dish is easy and delicious.  It rivals my crock pot General Tso's Chicken.

I take chopped boneless, skinless chicken thighs and dredge them in a cornstarch seasoned with salt and pepper.  I then lightly brown the chicken pieces in coconut oil in a saucepan.  Do not overcrowd the pan.  Brown the chicken in two batches if necessary.  The chicken will continue to cook in the crock pot.  Once lightly browned add the chicken to the crock pot.

Now, prepare the sauce.  In a large measuring cup, whisk together the honey, tamari sauce, red pepper flakes, grated ginger root, and juice of 2 limes.  Once thoroughly mixed together add the sauce to the chicken in the crock pot.

Put the lid on the crock pot and set to low for 4 hours.  After 4 hours stir the chicken and add the chopped green onions. Continue to cook for another 15 mins.

Give the dish one final stir and serve over rice.  Enjoy :)

INGREDIENTS:

1 Package boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite sized pieces

1 / 2 cup cornstarch

salt

pepper

1 TBS coconut oil, more if needed

3 / 4 cup of honey

1 / 2 cup tamari sauce

pinch of red pepper flakes

1 / 4 cup peeled, grated ginger root

2 limes, juiced

1 bunch of green onions, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

Cut the boneless, skinless chicken thighs into bite size pieces. Dredge the chicken in the cornstarch that has been seasoned with salt and pepper.

Preheat a saucepan, melt 1 TBS of coconut oil.  Add the chicken and lightly brown.  Do not overcrowd the pan, do the chicken in batches if necessary.  Once lightly brown (the chicken will continue to cook in the crock pot) add the chicken to the crock pot.

In a large measuring cup, whisk the honey, tamari sauce, red pepper flakes, grated ginger root, and the juice of 2 limes.  Once combined together add it to the chicken in the crock pot. Put the lid on the crock pot and set to low for 4 hours.

After 4 hours, remove the lid and stir the chicken.  Add the chopped green onions and continue to cook for another 15 minutes.  Stir one more time and serve over cooked rice.

Enjoy :)

Oatmeal Pear Chocolate Muffins (Gluten Free)

I have been looking for a good gluten free muffin for awhile.  I have tried many and none were all too good so I thought  why not try to make a muffin like the cookies I made that everyone loved.  I grinded my own oats to make the cookies so thought I would try that for the muffins and this is the recipe I came up with.

In my mini chopper, I pulsed until fine the GF large flaked oats. Then I added this to a bowl with the ground cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and coconut sugar. I mixed these together with a whisk.

In a large measuring cup I lightly beat two eggs and one egg white.  Then I added Greek yogourt, oil, milk, and vanilla extract. I whisked these ingredients until smooth.

Once the wet ingredients are incorporated I added them to the dry ingredients and mixed lightly until combined.

I then grated the pear into the mixture and added the mini chocolate chips. ( I used mini chocolate chips as you get more chocolate flavour and a more evenly distributed chocolate throughout the muffins).  I mixed these ingredients only until incorporated into the mixture you do not want to over mix.

Using an ice cream scoop, scoop the mixture into a greased muffin tray.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 16 minutes or until a toothpick inserted  into the centre of the muffin comes out clean.

Once removed from the oven sprinkle with cinnamon sugar if desired.  It is important to wait for the muffins to cool before removing them from the tin.  However,  they smelled so good while baking and I was hungry that I did not wait and that is why the muffins i ate were a little squished. But tasted good nonetheless.

Here is a plate of muffins once cooled.

These muffins are delicious and I think I will make other varieties.  Next time thinking of using crushed pineapple and coconut in place of the pear and chocolate chips.  The possibilities are endless. :) 

INGREDIENTS:

2 Cups Gluten Free Oats, ground into flour

2 teaspoons of baking powder

1 / 4 teaspoon of baking soda

2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon

1 / 4 cup of coconut sugar

2 eggs plus 1 egg white

1 / 4 cup of plain Greek yogourt

1 / 2 cup of milk

4 Tablespoons of oil

1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1 Bartlett Pear, grated

1 / 2 cup of mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cinnamon sugar

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350 Degrees.  Spray a 12 cup muffin pan and set aside.

In a bowl add the ground oats, baking soda, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and coconut sugar.  Mix and set bowl aside.

In a large measuring cup, lightly whisk 2 eggs plus 1 egg white.  Add the Greek yogourt, milk, oil, and vanilla extract.  Whisk until smooth and the ingredients are incorporated.  Add to the dry ingredients and mix lightly until combined do not over mix.

To the mixture add the grated pear and mini chocolate chips. Mix just to combine.

Using an ice cream scoop, scoop mixture into prepared muffin tin.  Put in oven for about 16 mins or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the muffin comes out clean.  Remove from oven and sprinkle the muffins with cinnamon sugar if desired.  Allow muffins to cool before removing from pan.  Enjoy with a tea or coffee.

Crock Pot Sweet Potato Pepper Bean Soup

Nothing beats a big bowl of soup on a cold wintery day. This is a simple yet very filling soup.

Chop up a spanish onion and add to the crock pot.  Drain and rinse the two cans of navy beans and add to the crock pot.  Add the chopped peppers and cumin and black pepper,  Add half a carton  of the stock and stir.  Add the lid to crock pot and set to low for 4 hours.

After the 4 hours, use an immersion blender and puree the soup.  I like the soup a little chunky so I didn't puree it smoothly.  If it is too thick add some more stock.  Stir and taste for seasonings and serve up in a bowl.  Good with some olive oil drizzled on top and a piece of crusty bread.

INGREDIENTS:

1 large spanish onion, chopped

2 cans of navy beans, drained and rinsed

10 assorted mini peppers, seeded and chopped( I used red, yellow and orange peppers)

2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 ground black pepper

1 carton no salt added chicken stock (to make vegan use vegetable broth)

DIRECTIONS:

To the crock add the chopped onion, navy beans, peppers, sweet potato, cumin, pepper and 1/2 of the carton of stock.  Stir and put the lid on the crock pot and set  to low for 4 hours.  After 4 hours, use an immersion blender and puree to desired smoothness.  I like it a little chunky.  If it is too thick add more stock if needed.  Taste for seasonings and adjust if needed.  Serve in a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil and some crusty bread. Enjoy :)

CROCK POT WHITE CHICKEN CHILI

CROCK POT WHITE CHICKEN CHILI (CAN BE MADE VEGAN)

Its been snowy and cold here, so what better time to cook some chili.  I made a white chicken chili in the crock pot.  It was delicious.  It can easily be made vegan by not using the chicken and using vegetable stock instead of the chicken.

To begin heat a pan and then melt coconut oil in it.  Add the chopped chicken thighs, season the chicken with salt and pepper, then add the chopped onions.  Only cook for a few minutes to sweat the onions and get a little colour on the chicken.

Add the onions and chicken to the crock pot.  Then add the yellow peppers, jalapeno pepper, corn, chili powders, cumin, cinnamon, navy beans and stock.

Stir the items in the crock pot and then set on low for 5 hours.

After about 4 - 4 1/2 hours lift the lid and remove about 2 cups of the chili.  Then using an immersion blender puree the 2 cups that you have removed and then add back into chili.  Continuing cooking for another 30 mins to an hour.

Serve the chili in a bowl with lime wedges.  You may also add sour cream and cheese to the bowl if you desire.  Enjoy :)

INGREDIENTS

1 T Coconut Oil

1 pkg of boneless, skinless, chicken thighs

sea salt

pepper

2 small onions, chopped

5 mini yellow pepper, seeded and sliced

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1 cup frozen peaches and cream corn

1 t. ancho chili pepper

1 t. chipotle chili pepper

1 t. ground cumin

1/2 t. ground cinnamon

2 cans navy beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 carton stock

limes

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat a large pan.  Melt 1 T of coconut oil. Add the chopped boneless skinless chicken thighs.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add the chopped onions cooked until the onions are sweated and chicken thighs have colour.  The chicken will continue to cook in the crock pot.

Add the chicken mixture to the crock pot.  Add the yellow peppers, jalapeno pepper, corn, chili powders, cumin and cinnamon. Add the navy beans and 1/2 carton of the stock.  Stir it all together then put the lid on the crock pot and set it on low for 5 hours.

About an hour before its done, remove 2 cups of the chili from the crock pot and then puree it.  Stir the puree mixture into the crock pot and then continue cooking for another 30 -60 minutes.

Once cooking is done serve the chili in a bowl with lime wedges.  May also serve with sour cream and shredded cheese, if desired.  Enjoy.