Roasted Chicken Breasts with Purple and Gold Potatoes in a Champagne and Dill Sauce

The other night, I was feeling creative and want to whip up something a bit gourmet.  Costco had my favorite purple potatoes, and we have a whole bunch of bottles of champagne around from our wedding, so I threw a bunch of stuff together, and this deliciousness resulted:

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 lb. purple and fingerling gold potatoes, coined
• 5 cups of brut champagne (any kind will do)
• Handful of fresh dill
• Spices to taste:  garlic powder, sea salt, black pepper

• Preheat the oven to 425

In a large roasting plan, place the chicken breasts on the bottom and sprinkle with spices.  Sprinkle the dill on top.

Add the potatoes and sprinkle with more spices.

Pour the champagne over the mixture until it covers most of it, cover pan with foil, and bake for 45 minutes

Enjoy!

Gluten Free, Paleo, Pumpkin Apple Bread

I've been wanting to try using almond flour for awhile to make my baked goods gluten free and paleo.  This bread seemed like the perfect way to do that, but when I went to the store to buy almond flour, I was astounded at how expensive it is.  I wound up buying a bulk amount of raw almonds and grinding them in my Magic Bullet to make my own flour, and the result was delicious!

• 1 cup pureed pumpkin
• 4 large eggs, beaten
• 2/3 cup honey
• 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 Gala apples, peeled and diced
• 5 cups almond flour (made in my Magic Bullet!)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F and spray 2, 9x5 loaf pans with cooking spray
2. Mix the wet ingredients in a large bowl, then add the apples
3. In a small bowl, combine dry ingredients
4. Add the dry to the wet and mix until combined (it will be thick)
5. Pour/Scoop into loaf pans and bake for 30-40 minutes

Slow Cooker Chicken and Kale Soup

There is nothing more comforting than chicken soup and nothing easier than one made in the slow cooker.  Naturally, I had to boost the natural health properties of traditional chicken soup and add about a half pound of Kale :)

Ingredients:

• 3 chicken breasts
• 3 stalks of celery, diced
• 4 large carrots, diced
• 1 small onion, diced
• Handful of fresh dill
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• Spices to taste:  cayenne pepper, sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder

Place the chicken breasts on the bottom of the crock pot

Sprinkle with seasonings

Add the carrots, celery, and onion

Add the dill

Pour the broth and add the kale.  Cover and cook on high for 5 hours.

Shred the chicken with a fork before serving

Power Greens and Mixed Vegetable Soup

Another soup recipe that will provide you with endless amounts of nutrients as well as the warm comfort of a hearty soup.  Power Greens is a brand mixture of Baby Spinach, Baby Kale, and Green and Red Chard, so if you can't find the blend, you can make it yourself.

Ingredients:

• 4 c. vegetable broth
• 4 carrots,diced
• 5 celery stalks, diced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb. green beans, cut in thirds
• 2 large zucchini, diced
• 1 15 oz. can low sodium chick peas
• 1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 1 lb. Power Greens

Prep the veggies

Drain and rinse the tomatoes and chick peas

In a large soup pot, saute the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic until aromatic

Add the broth and bring a boil.  Using an immersion blender, make a hearty stock by blending until smooth

Add the tomatoes, chick peas, string beans, zucchini, and power greens, and simmer until tender

Butternut Squash, Roasted Sweet Pepper, and Kale Soup

This turned out to be literally the perfect Fall soup.  The flavors came together perfectly and this warmed my bones for days.

Ingredients:

• 1 large Butternut Squash, diced
• 1 bag of mini Sweet peppers
• 2 tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4 c. vegetable stock (low sodium)
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 lb. Kale, shredded (stems removed)
• 3 sprigs of fresh rosemary
• Spices to taste:  black pepper, sea salt, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, cumin

Shake peppers with 1 tbsp. olive oil, and some pepper and garlic powder

Spread on a baking sheet and bake at 350 for 15 minutes

Dice the butternut squash

In a large pot, saute onion and garlic in the other tbsp. of olive oil

Add the squash and vegetable broth and bring to a boil, then simmer until tender

Let the peppers cool, then roughly dice them, removing all seeds

Add the rosemary and other spices

Add the peppers

Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth and creamy

Add the kale

Stir, and continue to simmer until Kale is slightly wilted and tender

Paradise Bread

On one of our last days in Kauai, we were able to get to a really awesome farmer's market.  I indulged in all the tropical produce that we can't usually find here on the mainland, and decided to throw them all together into a bread that I could only fittingly entitle Paradise Bread.

Ingredients:

• 2 Lilikoi (scooped)
• 1 Papaya (mashed)
• 2 Starfruit (sliced)
• 4 Apple Bananas (mashed)
• 2 c. Flour
• 3/4 c. Brown Sugar
• 1.5 tsp. Baking Powder
• 1.5 tsp. Baking Soda
• 1/2 c. Nonfat Vanilla Greek Yogurt
• 1 Egg
• 2 tsp. Vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 and spray a 9x13 pyrex with cooking spray
In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients (except for the sugar)
In a large bowl, blend wet ingredients and brown sugar
Mix the wet and dry together and pour into prepared pan
Top with slices of starfruit
Bake for 30-40 minutes until toothpick comes out clean

Papaya

Lilikoi

Looks strange, but tastes awesome

Grilled Chicken in Lilikoi Vinaigrette with Purple Jasmine Rice

Brad and I are now obsessed with Passionfruit (called Liliokoi in Hawaii).  We found a delicious bottled Lilikoi Vinaigrette, and I picked up some Purple Jasmine Rice at a health food store in Koloa and cooked it with some diced tomatoes and spices and it turned out delicious.

Ingredients:

• 3 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 1 c. Purple Jasmine Rice
• 1 15 oz. can of Diced Tomatoes
• 1/2 small onion, diced
• 1.5 c. water
• 1 bottle of Lilikoi Vinaigrette

Marinate the chicken in the vinaigrette for a couple of hours and then grill the chicken breasts.  To make the rice, saute tomatoes and onions until aromatic, then add water.  Bring water to a boil and add the rice.  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until water is absorbed.  Season with a little salt, and some garlic powder.

Purple Jasmine Rice

Looks so pretty after it's cooked!

Huli Huli Chicken

On all of the islands, there were roadside signs boasting the best Huli Huli chicken on the island at various food trucks and small cafes.  I got curious, and googled Huli Huli chicken, and it turns out the sauce is super easy to make, and really delicious.

The Sauce:
In a bowl, combine the following:

• 1/4 c. Ketchup
• 1/4 c. Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce
• 1/2 c. Chicken Broth
• 1/3 c. White Wine
• 1/4 c. Pineapple Juice
• Freshly Grated Ginger to taste

Add pineapple chunks and marinate for 2-4 hours before baking at 425 for 30 minutes

Serve with roasted potatoes in an olive oil and pineapple juice glaze

Island Style Drunken Chicken

The most famous brewery in Hawaii is the Kona Brewing Company.  While we were on the Big Island, we stayed in Kona, so obviously we had to sample.  My favorite was the Maui Longboard Ale, so I decided to make dinner with it one night.

Ingredients:

• 3 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into chunks
• 1 Small Onion, chopped
• 1 15 oz. can of Diced Tomatoes
• 1 c. Pineapple Chunks
• 1 c. Red Quinoa
• 2 c. Maui Longboard Ale

Instructions:

Sweat the onions 4-5 minutes to release the aroma

Saute the chicken until cooked through

Add the tomatoes and pineapple chunks and saute a few more minutes

Add the beer and quinoa

Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 15 minutes

Enjoy!  (with or without the amazing sunset)

:)