Main Dishes

Turkey Roulade, SCD, Low FodMap and Grain Free

This is a delicious way to make a boneless turkey breast that is a little bit fancy, but quite simple really.

This recipe uses a low fodmap pesto – here and some aged cheese grated over the pesto before rolling it up. It is then skewered and rubbed with melted ghee, rosemary, salt and pepper before roasting. This is also exceptional the next day served chilled. You can slice it very thin after chilling, and it is delicious on salads!

Turkey Roulade

Ingredients:

1 approximately 4 pound boneless turkey breast

1/4 cup of pesto (here’s my low fodmap recipe)

1/2 cup of packed shredded aged cheese like Parmigiano Reggiano or an aged Romano

2 Tablespoons of crushed dried rosemary

2 Tablespoons of ghee

salt and pepper to taste

Skewers like kabob skewers

Directions:

Butterfly the boneless turkey breast so it lies in a flat rectangle. Leave the skin attached. Place the turkey on a cookie sheet, and pound it with a meat mallet until it is in a rectangle about 14 by 8 inches.

With the skin side down, spread the turkey with the pesto and shredded cheese. Starting at a short side, roll the turkey up into a tight roll. Take your kabob skewers and poke them through the turkey roast starting at the seam and all the way through to hold your spiral together.

Now, melt the ghee and stir in the rosemary, salt and pepper. Brush the melted ghee mixture all over the roast. Place the turkey roast in a roasting pan, skin side up, and roast at 350 degrees F. for 1 1/2 to 2 hours depending on the weight of the roast or until the internal temperature measures 365 degrees F. Remove the roulade from the oven and let set 15 minutes before carving into slices. Enjoy and happy eating!

Italian Marinated Steak, Gluten Free, Low FodMap, AIP Paleo

Grilling season is here, and this marinated steak is a great way to kick off the season. A marinade tenderizes your steak and adds a ton of flavor and can be used for any cut. I have made this with flat irons and filet mignon. Both were delicious!

For meal prep, I like to grill double the steak we will need for dinner and use the leftover steak to thinly slice for a main dish salad and lunches the next day.

Italian Steak Marinade

As always, garlic infused olive oil is incredible and I always have it on hand. If you are eating low fodmap, this is crucial for getting that wonderful garlic flavor in all your recipes!

This marinade has a delicious blend of dried chives, rosemary and oregano in it. The black pepper is optional and should be omitted if you are on an AIP protocol currently. The acid used in the marinade is red wine vinegar for the zing! Rosemary is great to use when grilling, because it helps block HCA’s – carcinogens from grilling and cooking at high temperatures.

Make sure you give the steak time to marinade. I like at least four hours. You can do eight and even overnight.

Italian Marinated Steak

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds of steak. This is approximately 4 flat irons or 2 Filet Mignons. But use your favorite or budget friendly cut!

For the marinade:

2 Tablespoons of Garlic infused Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons of Red Wine Vinegar

1 Tablespoon of Dried Chives

2 Teaspoons of Crushed Rosemary

1 Teaspoon of Oregano

1 Teaspoon of Salt

1/2 Teaspoon of Black Pepper (Omit if following AIP)

Directions: Whisk together the marinade ingredients. Place the steak in a shallow glass dish, pour the marinade over the steak, and coat completely. Cover and place your marinating steak into the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and up to overnight, flipping once.

When you are ready to grill, remove the steak from the marinade and put them on a platter for 30 minutes before grilling.

Steak is a great source of B12 vitamins, and leftover steak is wonderful for topping a lunch salad with the next day.

Instant Pot Egg Bites

I received an Instant Pot silicone egg bites pan for Christmas from my daughters, so of course I had to put it to good use!

This is a delicious way to eat eggs, and so fun. Eggs made in the instant pot are tender and really delicious. In this recipe I used bacon, scallions and spinach and a little nutritional yeast to give it a cheesy flavor without the dairy. This is the Instant Pot I have, and I love it! Instant Pot meals are delicious and I find very easy to digest. My favorite Instant Pot Cookbooks are by Coco Morante. She has three of them The Ultimate Instant Pot Cookbook, The Ultimate Instant Pot Healthy Cookbook, and The Essential Instant Pot Cookbook. Her recipes are all delicious and can be easily modified for nutritional needs! Here’s my recipe for Egg Bites in the Instant Pot!

Instant Pot Egg Bites

Ingredients:

4 Eggs

1/4 Cup of Scallions, sliced

1/4 Cup of Cooked Spinach, cooled and chopped

2 Slices of Cooked Bacon

1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons of Coconut Milk or other non-dairy milk

2 Teaspoons of Nutritional Yeast

1/4 Teaspoon of Salt

1/4 Teaspoon of Pepper

Ghee or Coconut Oil for greasing the Egg Cups. You can also use a non stick cooking spray.

Directions:

In a 4 cup glass measuring cup with a pour spout, whisk together your eggs, olive oil, coconut milk, salt and pepper. Whisk in the nutritional yeast thoroughly. Then, stir in the bacon, scallions and chopped spinach.

Grease your egg cups with a little ghee. Pour the egg mixture evenly into each of the egg cups. They will be about 3/4 full. Place the lid on the egg bites pan. Pour a cup of water into your instant pot. Then, place the egg bites pan on the wire steam rack and carefully lower it into your instant pot.

Secure the lid on the instant pot, and set the steam valve to seal. Select Manual on your Instant Pot and adjust the time to ten minutes. It will take a few minutes to come up to pressure before the cooking time begins. After the cooking time ends, let the pressure come down for 5 minutes before releasing the pressure valve. Remove the lid and pull out your egg bites pan with heat safe mitts. Take off the lid of the egg bites pan and invert the pan onto a plate. Pop out the egg bites by pressing on the bottom of each mold. They are so yummy and kid friendly! Enjoy!

Turkey and Vegetable Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Stuffing vegetables is very tasty and healthy! This Turkey Stuffed Spaghetti Squash does not disappoint!

I used Butcher Box ground turkey and lots of delicious and flavorful vegetables and herbs in this recipe. To meld it all together, you will stir in some good mayonnaise and top it with aged real shredded parmesan cheese. To make it dairy free and Whole 30, just omit the cheese.

Since I’m all about efficiency in the kitchen, and although I love to cook, time matters, (Seems I’m often pinched for time) so, I split and bake the spaghetti squash the day before and then refrigerate it until the next day when I’m ready to make the dish. That way you are spending under an hour in the kitchen to make dinner. Here’s how to make it:

Turkey and Vegetable Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients:

1 Spaghetti Squash

2 lbs. of ground turkey (I used Butcher Box) You can get $15. off here.

2 Medium Zucchini (diced)

1 Large Fennel Bulb (diced)

1 Red Bell Pepper ( seeded and diced)

1 Bunch of Scallions (sliced)

1 Cup of real Parmesan Cheese, grated (optional)

3 Tablespoons of Garlic Infused Olive Oil (divided)

1 Tablespoon of Dried Chives

2 Teaspoons of Black Pepper

1 1/2 Teaspoons of Smoked Paprika

1 1/2 Teaspoons of Dried Parsley

1 1/2 Teaspoons of Ground Cumin

3/4 Teaspoon of Dried Oregano

1 1/2 Teaspoons of Salt, or to taste

1 Tablespoon of Fresh Lemon Juice

1/2 Cup of Avocado Oil Mayonnaise (I use this brand)

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Split the spaghetti squash stem to stem and remove the seeds. Place the squash halves cut side down on a baking sheet, and bake for one hour. Remove the squash from the oven when tender and flip to cool. At this point, you can store in the refrigerator until the next day if desired.

On the day you make the dish, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Put the Spaghetti Squash back into the oven to rewarm for ten minutes cut side down, and prepare it for stuffing. To make the Turkey and Vegetable Stuffed Spaghetti Squash, in a large skillet, add two tablespoons of garlic infused olive oil, and cook the diced zucchini, fennel, red bell pepper and scallions for two minutes on medium high heat. Add 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of black pepper, the chives, smoked paprika, parsley, cumin and oregano. Continue cooking and stirring occasionally until the vegetables are tender. Remove the vegetable mixture to a bowl, and in the same pan, add the last tablespoon of garlic infused olive oil, the ground turkey, a teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of pepper and cook, breaking the turkey up with a spatula into small crumbles as it browns.

Add the vegetable mixture back into the cooked turkey. Then, stir in the mayonnaise and lemon juice. Brush the inside of the spaghetti squash with a little extra olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mound the filling equally between the two halves of spaghetti squash. (You may have extra filling depending on the size of your squash. It’s wonderful just as is.) Then, sprinkle the tops with the grated parmesan. Bake in the preheated oven for 1/2 hour. To serve, scoop out portion sizes with a large serving spoon right down to the bottom of the squash.

This is a delicious recipe and a wonderful way to get a variety of vegetables into your dinner.

I recently signed up for monthly deliver of Butcher Box meats, and I absolutely love the quality and convenience. The ground turkey is the best I have ever tasted. You can choose your box each month and switch things out depending on what you’d like. You get to build your own box, plus they have specials each month. The link here gives you a special code for 15% off. I highly recommend it for quality meat!

Enjoy!

Sausage and Swiss Chard Vegetable Soup, Low FodMap, Grain Free

We have had several days of rain and cooler weather, and that always gets me craving soup!

I made my Healing Chicken Soup one day and the next I made this Sausage and Swiss Chard Vegetable Soup using Plant Based, Low FodMap, Low Carb Miracle Noodles. They have a good texture and are wonderful in soups! It was hearty, warming and delicious. So good in fact, that I had leftovers for breakfast!

Soup for breakfast is actually a very nourishing way to start the day when it’s a good one that meets your protein and vegetable requirements.

This soup takes about 30 to 40 minutes to prepare, and then you can just put it in the crock pot for 4 to 6 hours until you want to eat. Alternately, you can simmer it on the stove for 30 minutes and skip the crock pot. I love recipes like that! It gives me more time in the afternoon if I use the crock pot and flexibility.

Sausage and Swiss Chard Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

1 pound of Pastured Ground Pork

1 pound of Grass Fed Ground Beef

My Low FodMap Sausage Seasoning Blend here:

2 Teaspoons of Ground Fennel

1 Teaspoon of Ground Thyme

1 Teaspoon of Sage

1 Teaspoon of Black Pepper

1 Teaspoon of Salt

Mix the sausage seasoning blend together.

3 Cups of peeled and diced Butternut Squash and 1/2 teaspoon of salt for browning.

4 Cups of Swiss Chard, Chopped

2 Medium Zucchini, Chopped

1 1/2 Cups of Sliced Scallions (green parts only for Low FodMap)

8 Cups of Chicken Stock

1 Package of Fettucini Miracle Noodles

2 Tablespoons of Garlic Infused Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon of Dried Parsley

Optional: Real Parmigiano Reggiano to grate over the top when serving.

Directions:

In a large skillet over medium high heat, place a tablespoon of Garlic Infused Olive Oil.

Add the ground pork and beef to the olive oil, then sprinkle your sausage seasoning over it. Saute this mixture, blending in the seasoning with a spatula, and thoroughly cook and brown the meat. Drain the fat, then add the cooked meat to your crock pot. Using the same pan, add the second tablespoon of Garlic Infused Olive Oil and then add your butternut squash, and sprinkle it with a half teaspoon of salt. Brown it over medium heat for about five minutes. Turning half way through. The squash only needs to be browned, not cooked through. Add the squash to the crock pot with the ground meat.

Add the remaining soup ingredients except the miracle noodles and parsley, including the broth, to your crockpot. Stir, then place the lid on, set the crock pot to high and let cook for 4 to 6 hours.

About 15 minutes before serving, open your Miracle Noodle package, rinse them under cold water, and add them to the soup along with the dried parsley.

If you eat dairy, this is good with real aged parmesan grated on the top.

Chicken Wet Burrito Skillet Gluten Free with Low FodMap Option

There is something about a cast iron pan that browns food beautifully! Skillet dinners are handy one dish meals that are fun family pleasers. Wet burritos used to be me and my roommates Friday night takeout dinner while I was going to college in Grand Rapids, Michigan where they actually originated! It was a little hole in the wall that made the Best Wet Burritos! Not gluten free, but I wasn’t g/f back then. This skillet is reminiscent of those burritos, but it IS gluten free and has a low fodmap option!

This is a skillet recipe that is easily made low fodmap, like I mentioned, by simply omitting the black beans. Jasmine rice is an easily digested rice that works well for many people with digestive difficulties, and it is a great binder and delicious in this recipe. It only takes one cup of cooked rice. I make it in larger quantities in my rice cooker and reheat it in the microwave as needed. You can also make it while you are preparing this dinner. It cooks in 25 minutes with no attending. If you don’t have a rice cooker yet, I highly recommend them! I use this one that also has a steamer on top, so you can steam vegetables at the same time as the rice is cooking. This one is medium sized and my favorite.

I used boneless chicken thighs because they are the juiciest part of the chicken. If you are craving wet burritos, this skillet dish is a healthy and delicious way to satisfy your yearning. It takes about 45 minutes to make start to finish, and also makes great leftovers.

If you are making this to be compliant with the SIBO Specific Diet, omit the white rice. I do well white Jasmine rice, so I added it to this recipe, but it is delicious without it. Your filling will be slightly looser.

Chicken Wet Burrito Skillet

Ingredients:

6 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs (about 2 lbs.)

1 Cup of Tomato Puree

1 Green Pepper, diced and seeded

1 Cup of Jasmine Rice (hot)

1 Cup of Black Beans, rinsed (omit for low fodmap. I use this brand) The kombu seaweed makes them easier to digest and you don’t even know it’s in there.

1 Cup of Shredded, Aged Cheddar

1 Cup of Shredded Iceburg Lettuce, for topping

1 Cup of Diced Fresh Tomato, for topping

2 Tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar

2 Tablespoons of Garlic Infused Olive Oil

1 Bunch of Green Scallions, sliced (green parts only)

1 Teaspoon of Cumin

1 Teaspoon of Smoked Paprika

1 Teaspoon of Chili Powder

1 1/2 Teaspoons of Salt

3/4 Teaspoon of Black Pepper

Directions:

Add Two Tablespoons of garlic infused olive oil to a large cast iron skillet. Warm over medium high heat. Then add the diced chicken thighs, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. They should sizzle when they hit the pan. Spread the chicken in an even layer, and brown for six minutes, stirring every two minutes. When the chicken is browned and cooked through, remove it to a plate and set aside. In the same pan, add the diced green peppers and the cumin, smoked paprika, and chili powder. Brown for one minute. Add in the two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to deglaze the brown chicken goodness from the bottom of the pan. Now add 1 cup of tomato puree, half of the sliced scallions, and the other 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Cook, stirring for two minutes. Turn the burner down to low, and add in the cup of rinsed black beans and hot rice. Stir to evenly distribute all the ingredients. Smooth the burrito filling out flat, and top with the cooked chicken thighs.

Turn your oven to broil. Now, sprinkle the top of the chicken thighs you just put on top of the filling with 1 cup of shredded, aged cheddar. Place the cast iron pan under your broiler for one to two minutes until it is bubbly and melted. Remove the pan from the oven, and top the chicken burrito skillet with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes and the remaining sliced scallions. It is ready to serve!

Chicken Taco Salad with Creamy Italian Dressing

There was this place we went in the Winter where we got a really good workout and had fun at the same time.

I was dating my then to be husband, and a Northern Michigan Winter could be long. I never knew any different, and I didn’t think to complain about the cold. It was how I was born, raised and lived my entire childhood and early adulthood.

Michigander’s were tough, resilient, and we knew how to have fun despite the weather.

Taco Salad 13

Although there were plenty of outdoor activities, the raquetball club was one of our favorite Friday night spots. You could work up a great sweat, and the court was smaller than a tennis court, hitting the ball more frequently in fast succession was very satisfying. The loud popping echo of the ball hitting the walls was loud and invigorating. I really worked up an appetite, and it was tradition to stop afterwards and eat at our favorite Mexican restaurant. They had the BEST Chicken Taco Salad and Margaritas! The salad was really big, and you were full when you were done. It was not a light salad at all, but there were plenty of great ingredients in it.

Taco Salad 12

Later, when we moved East and no longer played raquetball……after we were married and had two kids…….we recreated our own version at home and made it once a week religiously. It was very close, but I used a commercial dressing that I wouldn’t choose today. So, I’ve come up with my own dressing, without the soybean oil but all the great flavor!

Currently, I hadn’t made the salad in years, but lately I’ve really missed it.

So, I have recreated it here with grain free chips, grass fed cheese and my own homemade creamy Italian dressing. It is darn good! My husband, Doug, said it was spot on, just like he remembered. I think you will love it too.

This is a BIG bowl. The leftovers are good, even though the chips won’t be as crunchy as when it is freshly made, and you can half it if you desire! Now all you have to do is:

Build It! Here’s the recipe:

Taco Salad Build It

Chicken Taco Salad with Creamy Italian Dressing

Ingredients:

4 Boneless Chicken Breasts

8 Cups of Iceberg Lettuce, torn into bite sized pieces

8 oz. of Grass Fed Cheddar Cheese, shredded

1 Can of Sliced Black Olives (I used this 3.8 oz. can of Field Day)

1/4 Cup of Sliced Scallions

2 Medium Sized Ripe Tomatoes, Chopped

1 Large Green Pepper, Diced

Cilantro (optional) Chopped, a handful

1 Bag of Siete Sea Salt Chips (5 oz) Crushed with your hands

Directions:

Make the Creamy Italian Dressing below and refrigerate.

Bring a large pot of water up to a boil. Add the boneless, skinless chicken breasts and cook for 18 minutes or until they are 165° in the center. Remove them from the water, and place them on a plate. Cover the chicken with another plate while they cool and you prepare the rest of the salad ingredients. The chicken is supposed to be still warm when you add it to the salad later.

In a Large salad bowl, place ingredients in this order (see photos).

Lettuce, Tomatoes, Olives, Scallions, Peppers, Shredded Cheese, Crushed Chips, Chicken (Dice it when you are ready to add it. It will still be warm. I don’t like to chop it before hand, because it will dry out and be less juicy.) and Crushed Chips (Crush them right over the salad as you take them out of the bag.) Pour all the dressing over the salad, and toss it really well, coating everything.

Serve!

To Make the Creamy Italian Dressing:

Ingredients:

1 Cup of Mayo (I use Primal Kitchen)

1/4 Cup of Scallions

2 Tablespoons of White Vinegar

1 Tablespoon of Honey

1 Tablespoon of Garlic Infused Olive Oil

1/2 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

1/4 Teaspoon of Black Pepper

1/4 Teaspoon of Dried Parsley

1/8 Teaspoon each of dried:

Marjoram

Oregano

Basil

Rosemary

Directions: Puree the dressing ingredients in a blender until smooth. Refrigerate.

Chicken Taco Salad Trio

Chicken Taco Salad Grain Free Gluten Free

Orange Ginger Marinated Chicken Thighs

I have a lovely recipe for marinated chicken thighs that I’ve been making the last few months that is definitely a keeper. It is SIBO friendly, Low FodMap and makes twelve chicken thighs. That may seem like a lot, but for a family of five, I can tell you that they do not last long enough.

Orange Ginger Marinated Chicken Thighs 2

The thighs are wonderful to use leftover and sliced on top of a salad for lunch the next day. Marinating them infuses them all the way through with a delicious orange ginger flavor. If you are looking for more leftover inspiration, cut the leftover chicken off the bone into bite size pieces, and make a fresh pot of hot Jasmine Rice (I use my mini rice cooker frequently for the purpose of having fresh hot rice in small quantities.) If you’ve never tried one, they are inexpensive and cook rice perfect every time without having to watch it or worry about it overcooking, and it keeps it hot until you are ready to eat it. I will never be without one again. To make the chicken fried rice, warm the chicken in garlic infused olive oil on the stove top in a skillet. Then, stir in the hot, fresh cooked rice, drizzle it with sesame oil and a pinch of white pepper, then stir in a few sliced scallions. Push aside the chicken and rice mixture to one side of the pan. Add a little more garlic olive oil to the empty side, and add in two whisked and seasoned eggs, and scramble them over medium heat. Now, incorporate the egg into the chicken and rice mixture for an easy chicken fried rice. Yummmm!

Orange Ginger Marinated Chicken Thighs 3

The chicken should marinate at least 8 hours and preferably overnight for the most robust flavor infusion.

Orange Ginger Marinated Chicken Thighs 1

Orange Ginger Marinated Chicken Thighs

1/4 Cup of Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice

8 Sliced Scallions (green parts only for low fodmap)

2 Tablespoons of Fresh Minced Ginger

2 Tablespoons of Garlic Infused Olive Oil (my favorite brand)

2 Tablespoons of Coconut Aminos (this is not on the SCD Legal list, but many do well with it, so listen to your body. It is an excellent substitute for Soy Sauce. Here is a discussion about it on Danielle Walker’s Facebook page.)

2 Tablespoons of Sesame Oil

Zest of One Orange

1 Tablespoon of Ume Plum Vinegar (SCD Safe according to wellbees.com)

1 Tablespoon of Honey or Maple Syrup

1/2 Teaspoon of Sea Salt or more to taste

1/2 Teaspoon of Black Pepper

Directions: Whisk together the marinade ingredients in a medium bowl. Lay out 12 bone in chicken thighs in a large, deep baking pan. Pour the marinade over the thighs, then flip them to coat all the surfaces evenly. Cover with wrap, and refrigerate for 8 hours or up to 24 hours.

To bake the thighs, preheat the oven to 400° degrees F. Lay out a cookie sheet covered with parchment, if you want an easy to clean pan. 🙂 Remove the chicken thighs from the marinade allowing the scallions, ginger and orange zest to remain on the thighs, and lay them out in one layer onto the large sheet pan. Bake in the middle of the oven for 40 minutes. The skin will be crispy and brown. Enjoy!

Chicken Marinade

Orange Ginger Marinated Chicken Thighs, Paleo, Low FodMap

Sundried Tomato, Basil, Chicken “Pasta”

Chicken, Tomato Basil Noodles

Good for you Pasta Bowls will all the flavor and more vegetables, less carbs!

That was the goal of this juicy chicken and pasta bowl.

Now I’m a girl who grew up with Pasta Sunday, and I still look forward to a big serving, but with a healthier twist that isn’t going to give my belly a pooch and have me slumping down on the sofa for the rest of the evening in a carbohydrate coma.

Chicken Tomato Basil Pasta Toss Grain Free

It is always a great idea to choose boneless chicken thighs if you don’t want to take the chance of getting a dry breast. Thighs just have more flavor, and according to Dr. Oz in his White Chicken Meat vs. Dark Chicken Meat episode by Food Journalist Mark Schatzker, we have been trained our whole life to go for the white meat as a healthier option but is it? That being said, if you use perfectly roasted chicken breasts in this recipe, they would be delicious too, just not as foolproof. There is definitely a time to use them, like in my new chicken salad recipe with lemon pepper and strawberries here! The key is they have to be roasted to perfection and not taken a minute beyond 165°F.

Now, onward!

I like to roast my spaghetti squash the day before in the oven while I am making that night’s dinner, let it cool, then shred it into noodles with a fork and refrigerate it until the next day when I plan to make this dish. You can also completely do it in the same day.

Chicken Tomato Basil Spaghetti Squash Noodles

You are killing two birds with one stone, and saving a bunch of time by prepping it a day in advance.

This is a super flavorful pasta with beautiful oregano, basil and garlic all over the cubed thighs that are browned on the stove and then finished in the oven in 20 minutes total time. While the thighs are roasting, the rest of the ingredients can be prepped. Then you pour the chicken juices (broth) with all the seasonings right over the pasta. There is not a lot of fat in it because the chicken in skinless, but there is a Lot of Flavor!

Chicken Sundried Tomato Basil Pasta Grain and Dairy Free

Sundried Tomato, Basil, Chicken Pasta

1 Roasted Spaghetti Squash, cooled and shredded into “noodles”

1 Red Onion, Diced

2 Tablespoons of EVOO

2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil Packed Organic Sundried Tomatoes, diced

1 Cup of Sliced Scallions (green onions)

1/2 Cup of Fresh Basil

1 Can of Organic Mushrooms, drained

2 Pounds of Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs

1 Tablespoon of Dried Oregano

1 Tablespoon of Dried Basil

1 Tablespoon of EVOO

Sea Salt and Pepper to taste

1 Tablespoon of Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice

2 Cloves of Minced Garlic

Directions:

Roast you spaghetti squash up to a day in advance. To roast the squash, preheat your oven to 400° degrees F. Split your spaghetti squash from stem to end and remove the seeds. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and place it cut side down onto a rimmed cookie sheet. Roast 45 minutes to an hour, or until the top of the squash is soft when pressed.

Remove from the oven, and flip upright to cool completely. Shred the squash with fork tines. If using later, cover and refrigerate.

On the day you are making the dish:

Preheat the oven to 400° degrees F.

Whisk together the basil, oregano, olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic. Brush the seasoning over your boneless chicken thighs. In a large skillet, brown the chicken thighs on each side for five minutes, using a little more olive oil if necessary to prevent sticking. Transfer the chicken thighs to a parchment lined cookie sheet, and place in the oven to finish cooking through for approximately ten minutes, or until the thermometer reaches 165° F. Remove the thighs from the oven, and when cool enough, cut each thigh into quarters. Reserve the chicken juices from the pan, this is the broth!

In the same uncleaned pan you used to cook the chicken, you will make the sauce. All the brown bits from the chicken are little nuggets of flavor.

Brown the diced red onion in two tablespoons of olive oil until tender. Add the sundried tomatoes, scallions and mushroom, and stir warming and incorporating them into the cooked onions. Now, add the previously prepped spaghetti squash and the chopped fresh basil. Toss with tongues to coat and evenly distribute the vegetables.

Add the chicken pieces and juices from the chicken to the “noodles” heating and incorporating gently.

Serve!

Sundried Tomato, Chicken and Basil Grain Free Pasta has tons of flavor! It uses boneless chicken thighs and is a perfect bowl noodles for Grain Free Pasta Night! Paleo, Dairy, Gluten and Grain Free.

Strawberry Lemon Pepper Chicken Salad

Strawberry Lemon Pepper Chicken Salad on Blue Tray

This chicken salad is my current Summer obsession! It has all the bright flavors of Summertime with it’s bright lemon and strawberry flavors with the bite of black pepper! Perfection!

Strawberry Lemon Pepper Chicken Salad 1

I do hope you give it a go, because I think you will really love it!

One of the keys to a really good chicken salad with white breast meat is roasting the chicken breasts to absolute perfection. It is handy to have a instant read thermometer for this. Another tip when roasting boneless, skinless breasts is to rub them with olive oil. It locks in the juices!

Ming loves Strawberry season! We got freshly picked ones from the Farmer’s Market!

Ming Smelling the Strawberries.jpg

I use a loose mayonnaise based dressing in this chicken salad that has plenty of fresh lemon juice for a lovely zing!

Also incorporated into this salad is crunchy toasted pecans, two kinds of onions (scallions and yellow) and fresh diced strawberries!

Strawberry Lemon Pepper Chicken Salad

Ingredients for the Chicken:

3 pounds of good quality boneless skinless chicken breasts (4 to 5)

1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil

Zest of one Large Lemon

1/2 Teaspoon of Black Pepper

1/2 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

Preheat your oven to 400° degrees F. Lay out the chicken breasts on a rimmed baking sheet. Whisk together the olive oil, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Brush all over both sides of the breasts evenly. Roast in your preheated oven for about 20 minutes. Keep a close eye on them and do not take the breasts over 165° to ensure your chicken is juicy and tender. Check it at 20 minutes, remove any smaller breasts that may cook faster, then keep roasting if necessary in three minute increments until the chicken is done at 165° F. I can’t stand a dry breast!

When the chicken is done, remove it from the baking sheet onto a plate, then cover it with another plate to cool.

Assembling the Salad:

Ingredients:

2 Cups of Fresh Ripe Strawberries, diced

1/2 Cup of Finely Diced Yellow Onion

1/2 Cup of Green Scallions, sliced

1/2 Cup of Toasted Pecans (Toast at 350° degrees F. for 8 minutes) cooled and chopped

1/4 Teaspoon of Black Pepper

1/4 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

1/4 Cup of Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice (from the lemon you zested for the chicken)

1/2 Cup plus 2 Tablespoons of Good Mayo (I use this kind)

1 Tablespoon of Really Good Honey (Local is Lovely)

Directions to finish the Chicken Salad:

Cube your cooled chicken breasts into 1 inch cubes. Place in a large bowl. Add the diced yellow onion, scallions, and toasted chopped pecans. In a blender, blend together the chicken salad dressing ingredients until creamy and smooth: (the mayonnaise, lemon juice, honey, sea salt, black pepper). Pour the dressing over the chicken salad (saving the strawberries for last as they are tender) Toss the chicken salad until the ingredients are evenly disbursed and coated with the dressing. Now, fold in the diced strawberries. Chill and serve.

I hope you enjoy this delicious warm weather chicken salad full of the bright flavors of Summertime!

Strawberry Lemon Pepper Chicken Salad for Summer..jpg

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Farm Market Local Strawberries