Tag Archives: Casserole

Chicken and Broccoli Casserole {Gluten Free – Paleo}

Casseroles became popular in the 1950’s, and although I wasn’t around then, they are still a very versatile and popular one dish meal worthy of the table today. I have created a healthy version of one of my favorites!

Chicken and Broccoli Casserole {Gluten Free – Paleo}

A good casserole should be moist, tasty and have all the components for a one dish meal. I have been making this casserole recently on a weekly basis. My kids love it! It is really, really good leftover, and great as a packed work lunch.

I used dried tarragon in the filling, which is so good with chicken! A good quality mayonnaise and eggs bind the filling together with the chicken and broccoli. I made coconut flour crepes to layer between the creamy chicken filling. I have made the casserole and baked it right away, and I have also assembled it and refrigerated it for up to a day before baking.

If you like the idea of batch cooking, their are options for cooking the chicken! I like to cook two whole chickens and use one for dinner one night, and shred or chop the other one to use in this casserole. If you use all chicken breasts, the same theory saves time! When you roast the breasts, I highly recommend bone-in, skin on for the moistest chicken breast!

Let’s make a piping hot casserole!

Chicken and Broccoli Casserole {Gluten Free – Paleo}

Ingredients:

4 Cups of Cooked, Diced Chicken

3 Cups of Steamed Broccoli (chopped)

1 1/4 Cups of Good Mayo (I use Primal Kitchen Mayo, it is so good and healthy – here)

3/4 Cup of Full Fat Coconut Milk (my favorite additive-free brand)

2 Eggs

1 Teaspoon of Dried Tarragon

1/2 Teaspoon of Sea Salt or Himalayan Pink

1/2 Teaspoon of Onion Powder

For the filling, whisk together the Mayonnaise, Coconut Milk, Eggs, Tarragon, Salt and Onion Powder. Add in the cooled chopped chicken and chopped broccoli. Place in the refrigerator while you make the crepes.

Crepes

1 Cup of Full Fat Coconut Milk

8 Eggs

1/4 Cup of Coconut Flour

2 Tablespoons of Lemon Juice (I like fresh squeezed)

2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

1 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

Topping

1/2 Cup of Chopped Red Onion

1/2 Cup of Sliced Green Onion

Directions: Preheat a large non-stick electric griddle to 350º degrees. (A stove top non-stick pan will work too, just make sure your heat is set at medium). Whisk together the crepe ingredients. Whisk until there are no lumps! This is a good time to develop those arm muscles! Let the batter sit for 5 minutes to thicken slightly. Using a 1/4 cup measuring scoop, ladle the batter onto your preheated griddle, and cook until very lightly brown, flip and repeat, just like a pancake. You should have about eight crepes. Cool them on a wire rack. Then, cut them into 1 inch strips.

Preheat your oven to 350º degrees. Grease a 14″ x 10″ casserole with olive oil (size is approximate). Line the bottom of the casserole with 1/2 of the crepe strips. You will not have the bottom perfectly covered, and it is okay. Add the chicken and broccoli filling. Spread the filling evenly. Top with the remaining crepe strips. With a pastry brush, lightly brush on additional olive oil, just onto the strips. Sprinkle with diced red onion and sliced scallions.

Bake for 30 minutes in your preheated oven. Remove the casserole from the oven and cool ten minutes before digging in. Enjoy!

*This casserole can be easily modified to Low FodMap by omitting the red onion and onion powder. Just add more scallions. It is delicious that way as well.

Healthy Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

Chicken and Broccoli Casserole {Gluten Free – Paleo}

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chicken and broccoli casserole. this casserole is a creamy, grain free, hot casseerole you can assemble in advance and bake later.

Eat Your Nutrients!

Hearty Baked Chicken and Sausage with Mushrooms

hearty-chicken-and-sausage

A Hearty Chicken and Sausage bake is a real crowd pleaser! We recently had the family doing some hard work here around the house, and they have been coming in at dinnertime ravenous! I have been calling them “a bunch of cavemen” 🙂 because they have been devouring the protein part of the meal. Have you every had cravings for protein?

chicken-and-sausages

Well, I’m a firm believer in listening to your body, so I made this Hearty Chicken and Sausage Bake for dinner, because all that use of muscle was creating a serious craving around here.

hearty-chicken-and-sasage-dinner

Hearty Chicken and Sausage with Mushrooms

Preheat the oven to 375º degrees.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 Pounds of Bone In ChickenThighs

12 oz. of Fully Cooked Sausage Cut in Half on a Diagonal (I used gluten free Applegate Chicken and Apple)

1 Can of White Button Mushrooms

1 Large Yellow Onion, quartered and sliced

2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

2 Cloves of Garlic, Minced (or substitute 1 Garlic Olive Oil for the Olive Oil above)

1 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

1/2 Teaspoon of Black Pepper

Sauce:

1 1/2 Teaspoons Dried Basil

1 Teaspoon Dried Tarragon

1 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

1/2 Teaspoon of Black Pepper

1/2 Teaspoon of Dried Oregano

1/2 Teaspoon of Dried Thyme

1/4 Teaspoon Crushed Rosemary

1/4 Teaspoon of Red Pepper Flakes

2 Tablespoon of Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice

1 Tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar

2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

Whisk the Sauce ingredients together and set aside.

In a large dutch oven, or an oven safe saute pan that you can cover with foil, pour the olive oil and garlic if using. Season the chicken with salt and pepper while warming the oil in the pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, and brown on both sides for about 5 minutes each side. Add the sausages, tucking them in around the chicken. Sprinkle the mushrooms and onion on top.

Drizzle with the previously prepared sauce. Cover and bake in your preheated oven for 40 minutes.

This can be served with hot jasmine white rice and vegetables.

Eat Your Nutrients!

Bacon, Tomato and Basil Spaghetti Squash Casserole

This is the perfect casserole for late Summer! Tomato, Basil and Spaghetti Squash are abundant locally, and this casserole is not only scrumptious, it is beautiful! The texture is soft and fluffy similar to a souffle or a delicate quiche, and the crumb topping adds just the right finishing touch.

I love all the vegetables incorporated in this casserole. Spaghetti Squash, unlike other winter squashes, has a very mild flavor and is light in color with Vitamin B-6 and Vitamin C, plus every essential mineral is found in spaghetti squash in trace amounts. Isn’t that cool?

Most people know that Tomatoes are a great source of lycopene. They also have excellent amounts of Vitamin C , Biotin and VItamin K included in their nutritional value. Take advantage of them while they are at their peak and very nutrient rich.

Scallions are an excellent source of Vitamin K. One cup of scallions contains 259% of the RDA of this vitamin. Holy Smokes! They also may help prevent cancer like other alliums such as garlic and onions. See this article by The Huffington Post.

I incorporate herbs whenever I can into what I am eating for all their various health benefits and the flavor they add. Basil adds a sweetness to this dish that I love.

Let’s start cooking!

Bacon, Tomato and Basil Spaghetti Squash Casserole

To pre-cook the spaghetti squash, preheat your oven to 350º degrees F. Cut your spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds with a large spoon. Fill a large casserole pan with an inch of water and place the squash cut side down after lightly seasoning it with salt and pepper. Bake for one hour until a knife inserted in the squash slides through easily. Flip the squash over cut side up to cool. Then, take a fork and remove the squash into spaghetti-like noodles from the skin. At this point you can refrigerate the squash and make the casserole later, or move on to making the casserole.

To Make the Casserole:

Preheat your oven to 400º degrees F. Line a 10 inch round spring form pan with parchment paper after greasing it with coconut oil and set aside.

Ingredients for filling:

1 Medium Spaghetti Squash (approximately 4 cups cooked)

1 Egg

4 Strips of Bacon, cooked and chopped (omit if making it meatless)

1/2 Cup Superfine Almond Flour

1/4 Cup Good Quality Mayo (I used Primal Kitchen Avocado Oil Mayo)

2 Scallions, Sliced

1/4 Cup Fresh Basil (or 1 Tablespoon Dried if you don’t have fresh)

1 1/2 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink or Sea Salt

1 Teaspoon Black Pepper