Cornish Hen and Vegetable Soup

2017-02-25_14-01-42_816With cold weather still lingering and my family moving to a gluten-free (in addition to dairy-free) diet, soup has been a staple meal for us lately. This is my mother’s recipe, made with cornish hens rather than chicken and healthy vegetables. We don’t add noodles or rice, but can serve over rice if desired.

Ingredients:
2 cornish hens
2 carrots
1 potato
2 zucchinis
1 stalk of celery
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh lemon

Directions:
1. Boil water in a large pot with all the seasonings.
2. Once boiled, turn the heat down to medium and add the 2 cornish hens to the water. Note: water level should be about an inch above the cornish hens.
3. In the meantime, dice the carrots, potato, zucchinis and celery.
4. Once the hens are cooked (about 45 minutes), remove from the water and set aside.
5. Add the diced carrots, potato, celery and zucchini to the pot of soup and cook over medium heat for about 30 minutes.
6. While the vegetables are cooking, start shredding the meat on one of the cornish hens.
7. Once the vegetables are cooked to your liking, add the shredded cornish hen meat to the pot.

I typically cut the other cornish hen into quarters and fry lightly in olive oil to serve with the soup.

Chicken Liver with Garlic

Chicken Liver 2Sautéed chicken livers are flavorful, healthy, and make a delicious side dish or appetizer. They are high in iron, protein, vitamin B12, and vitamin A. This dish is so easy to make and my kids love it!

Ingredients:
2 pounds organic chicken liver
4 tbsp. olive oil
10 cloves of fresh garlic, chopped
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 bay leaf
4 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Directions:
1. Wash chicken livers and cut into small pieces, then pat dry
2. Season livers with salt, pepper, and cumin
3. Heat oil in a large skillet on medium heat, add garlic, and saute for about 2 minutes until lightly browned
4. Add livers and brown on both sides (about 5 minutes)
5. Add the bayleaf and reduce heat to a simmer and cook for another 5-7 minutes (until cooked through), stirring often. Note: add a little water if needed.
6. Once the livers are cooked (will still be slightly pink on the inside), turn off the heat, add the lemon juice and stir.

Serve with some crackers or on some greens for a delicious salad.

Lentil Soup

Lentil SoupThis lentil soup recipe is definitely one of our favorites for cold nights. It’s very filling, full of healthy vegetables, and is super flavorful.

Ingredients:
1 cup dry red lentils
2 large carrots, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
1 potato, diced
1 zucchini, sliced
3 garlic cloves, chopped
4 cups chicken broth
1.5 cups water
1.5 tsp cumin
1 tbsp olive oil
Fresh lemon juice to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Heat oil in pot over medium high heat until hot
2. Sauté onion, stirring, until golden (about 5 minutes)
3. Add garlic and saute for 2 minutes
4. Add carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, celery, zucchini, cumin, and sauté for 3-4 minutes
5. Add lentils, chicken broth, and water. Simmer, stirring and mashing occasionally, until lentils are cooked (about 25 minutes).
6. Mash soup to a puree consistency using fork or potato masher. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with fresh lemon juice, adding to each bowl as desired.

Grilled Kofta Kabob

Kofta3A delicious Egyptian style Kofta (Koobideh) dish, perfect for a summer BBQ. The kids and grown-ups both love it. This recipe is traditionally made with onions, but due to an onion intolerance in the family, we decided to try it out with garlic instead. The results are a much lighter and tastier Kofta dish!

Ingredients:
1 pound ground lamb
2 pounds ground sirloin (leanest option)
1 bunch Italian parsley
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice
6 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp tumeric
Salt and Pepper

Directions:
1. Combine the parsley, lemon juice, garlic, and spices in a food processor and pulse a few times. Add the olive oil slowly to the mixture and continue pulsing (make sure to scrape the sides!).
2. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and combine with the meat. Tip: I usually do this in a ziplock bag to ensure that it’s mixed well. Let it sit and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour prior to cooking.
3. Take out the meat and shape into ovals using your hands and thread each meat oval into a skewer. Tip: if using wooden skewers, soak in water for 30 minutes prior to using.
3. Preheat an outdoor grill to medium heat and lightly oil the grate before placing the skewers. Cook skewers on the grill, turning occasionally, until the meat is cooked to your preference (about 6-8 minutes for medium).

Shrimp and Grits

Shrimp and GritsAn easy and delicious dairy-free and gluten-free dinner. Perfect for weeknights or a quick weekend lunch.

Ingredients:
1 cup corn grits (gluten-free)
1.5 pounds shrimp (preferably gulf shrimp), peeled with shell on
4 large garlic cloves
5 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 tsp oregano
2 Tbsp chopped parsley
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper (to taste)

Directions:
Grits: Cook the grits according to the instructions. Add 1 Tbsp of olive oil, salt and pepper to the boiling water to bring out the flavor. When the grits are cooked (about 5 mins), stir in another Tbsp of Olive oil.

Shrimp: Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Heat 3 Tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the garlic until brown (about 1 minute). Add the shrimp, oregano, and white wine. Toss until the shrimp are cooked, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice and parsley.

Serve the grits in a bowl topped with the shrimp.

 

Pesto Sauce

2016-02-20 06.04.48Serve it with Linguine or Bowtie pasta, topped with chicken or Portobello mushrooms or just on its own.

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1/3 cup Pine Nuts
3 medium garlic cloves, sliced or minced
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tbsp lemon juice (or more to taste)
Salt (to taste)

Directions:
Combine the basil, pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice, and salt in a food processer and pulse a few times. Add the olive oil slowly to the mixture and continue pulsing (make sure to scrape the sides!). Taste, and add more lemon or salt as needed.

Tip: 
Drain the pasta after boiling (do not rinse), then mix with the pesto sauce. Add the sauce one tablespoon at a time until desired “sauciness.” Serve immediately.

Spanish Chicken

2016-02-01 06.35.51This is such a delicious dish and so easy to make. Works great for everyday cooking and for dinner parties as well.

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp smoked paprika
1 Tbsp flour
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
3 pounds of chicken pieces with skin and bones (thighs or breasts)
1/4 cup olive oil
15 garlic cloves, peeled
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup sherry vinegar
Chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley to sprinkle on top (optional)

Directions:
1. Put paprika, flour, salt, pepper, in large plastic (zip-lock) bag and shake to mix.
2. Add chicken pieces to bag, toss so that chicken is evenly coated, and leave in bag for at least 30 minutes (in refrigerator).
3. Heat the oil in the skillet, add garlic, and saute for 2 minutes to infuse the oil.
4. Remove garlic from skillet.
5. Add chicken and saute for 5 minutes until skin is browned.
6. Return garlic to skillet. Turn chicken over to brown other side for (about 5 minutes).
7. Add bay leaf and sherry vinegar and bring to a boil.
8. Lower the heat and simmer gently for about 30-40 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
9. Remove from heat and sprinkle with parsley.

Serve chicken with a side of french fries, sweet potato fries, or mashed potatoes.

Mashed Cauliflower

2016-01-24 04.50.52A super simple and perfect side dish to serve instead of potatoes. My kids could not tell the difference.

Ingredients:
2 heads of fresh cauliflower
1 Tbsp. of Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

Directions:
1. Cut the cauliflower into florets
2. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the florets, and boil until tender (about 10-15 mins)
3. Using a slotted spoon, transfer cauliflower to the bowl of a food processor
4.Add the olive oil, salt and pepper (to taste) and process until smooth (about 20-30 seconds)

Serve with your Chicken Marsala, chicken Piccata, or your choice of saucey meat.

 

Simple Salad with Avocado

2016-01-23 18.36.11An everyday salad that compliments any meal. Rather than using cheese, we’ve discovered that avocado is a great substitute for adding substance and texture.

Ingredients:
1 head Romaine lettuce
1 cup Cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1/2 a cucumber, sliced
1 avocado, diced
White Modena vinegar
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

Directions:
1. In a salad bowl, mix the ingredients together
2. Mix the dressing in a small bowl (Olive oil, Modena vinegar, salt and pepper to taste)
3. Add the dressing to the salad and mix