"Creamy" Scalloped Potatoes

HAPPY FRIDAY!! Well, congrats. You made it though the work week. In just a few short hours it will officially be the weekend and you won't clock back in until Monday morning. (well if you aren't me anyway) haha I will be working this Saturday, but at least I love my job! Oh and one of my sisters-in-law is in town so I get to spend a little time with her! Welcome home Big Al!

Okay back to the food. I know scalloped potatoes take you back to your childhood and comfort food, but I have created a lighter version. These aren't super heavy or terrible for you either. I bet you could even substitute sweet potatoes in this recipe, however Hubs said I shouldn't do that :). Yes these are "creamy" but without all of the added fat from heavy cream that is traditionally in scalloped potatoes. Hope you like them!

Creamy Scalloped Potatoes
GF, DF 

Ingredients:

1 white onion
1 1/2 T butter substitute 

1 pound red new potatoes 

1/4 cup almond flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
green onions (optional)
salt and pepper 

Dice your onion

Melt butter in large skillet over medium low heat.

Add in your diced onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes.

While your onions are cooking, slice your potatoes in about 1/4 inch thick slices.

Stir your almond flour into the pan with the onions and stir constantly for about 2 minutes.

Pour in chicken broth and continualy stir for abut 4 minutes until the mixture thickens. Scrapping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.

Stir in your nutritional yeast and continue cooking for another minute and then remove from heat.

Spread a small amount of butter on the bottom and sides of your baking dish to prevent the potatoes from sticking.

Layer 1/3 of your potatoes, slightly overlapping.

Pour 1/3 of your onion mixture over the potatoes. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper on each layer.

Continue this process twice more, ending with your onion mixture. 

Cover with tin foil and bake at 375° for one hour. Of course right when I go to cover my potatoes I ran out of tin foil.. so at least it is mostly covered.

Remove the foil for the last 15 minutes You may have to bake additional, depending on how thick you sliced your potatoes.

Top with green onions and dig in! (oops I forgot ha)

If you want a little extra, you can always at a dollop of GF, DF sour cream!

Thanks Y'all!
-Wise Wife 

Pecan Crusted Chicken

This week I had my rehearsal dinner on my mind. Although I didn't have much of an appetite the day before I got married, guess I had a lot of my mind, we served a wonderful double plate of pecan crusted chicken and steak at our rehearsal dinner. I knew it couldn't be too hard to recreate the pecan chicken, so I attempted and actually succeeded!  I LOVE pecan crusted chicken and I didn't really get to enjoy it that night. Tonight, I did and it was delicious! This is such a simple recipe that anyone can make. 

There are only a few ingredients in this recipe and I always have them on hand. Serve the chicken with brown rice and a green veggie or your choice and you have a quick meal! I went with brown rice and steamed broccoli for a well rounded easy dinner.

Happy Cooking!

Pecan Crusted Chicken

GF, DF

click here for printable recipe 

Ingredients:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast

3/4 cup dijon mustard

2 T agave nectar 

2 cups pecan pieces (approximate) 

a pinch of salt

butters substitute for greasing your baking dish

Preheat oven to 350°.

Trim off any excess fat on your chicken breast. Yeah I know that looks kinda gross ha but the more you get off before, the less chewy pieces you end up biting in to :) 

Mix your dijon mustard and agave nectar together in a bowl big enough to put your chicken breast in. 

Add in a pinch of salt.

Add your pecan pieces into a shallow dish. I used a baking pan. 

Butter a small baking dish.

Add one chicken breast at a time into the mustard mixture and completely coat the chicken.

Straight from the mustard mixture, place the chicken into the pecans and completely coat on both sides.

Place your chicken into your buttered baking dish.

Bake for 45 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked.

With about 15 minutes left, I ended up covering with tin foil as the pecans were starting to brown a little too much.

Serve with your delicious sides and dip a plate!

Thanks Y'all!

-Wise Wife

Chicken and Vegetable Tomato Soup

I was craving a one pot meal when I created this recipe. I was tired from the day and wanted an easy dinner that wouldn't take all of my attention for the evening. Soups are always a good choice for easy meals but I didn't want a comfort food soup. I wanted a veggie soup that was light but would still me up. After all, it has been in the 70's this week. Yay!!  I think I succeeded! Although Hubs picked right around the sweet potatoes, he said it was delicious. 

Want an easy but delicious meal? Try this out:

Chicken and Vegetable Tomato Soup.

GF, DF 

printable recipe here 

Ingredients: 

1 white onion

1 medium sweet potato

1 zucchini

1/2 cup fresh parsley

1 can cannellini beans

 2 T olive oil

2 boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed

1/4 t cayenne

1 t ground cumin

1 T salt

1/2 t fresh ground pepper

1 cup tomato puree

4 cups water

2 cups low sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup millet 

As I do every recipe, lets go ahead and get your ingredients ready so we can move smoothly through the recipe. 

Dice your onion.

Cube your sweet potato and zucchini.

Roughly chop your parsley.

Drain and rinse your cannellini beans to remove an excess sodium.

In a large dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat.

Add in your onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add in your chicken, cayenne, cumin, salt, and pepper and stirring to cook for about 2 minutes. 

Stir in your sweet potatoes, zucchini, tomato puree, broth, and water. 

Bring to a simmer, allowing to cook for 10 minutes until the veggies soften.

Add in your millet and beans and allow to simmer for an additional 5 minutes.

Turn off the heat and stir in your parsley. Cover and allow to sit for an additional 5 minutes before serving. 

Yup. That's it!! Hope you enjoy!

Thanks Y'all!

-Wise Wife