the Wholesome Kitchen

Tonight I had a dinner challenge, mainly presented by myself.  I had chicken along with mostly standard ingredients I have around my kitchen and with these things I had to make a meal.  I wanted to only use the food that I had at my house, because I honestly could not make myself go to the store after working all day.  So, I came up with this chicken, which I think turned out nicely, and is very simple too [which is always a plus].  I decided to pair this chicken with a pesto pasta [mostly since I had a huge amount of basil], but is versatile enough to go with many different things, such as potatoes, grilled veggies, rice, etc.  This recipe is naturally gluten free.

BASIL GARLIC CHICKEN

serves 2

• 2 chicken breasts
• 2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 tablespoon basil, chopped into small pieces
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• salt & pepper to taste

1. Place a medium skillet on the stove at medium heat.  Add olive oil, garlic, basil, and lemon juice to pan and stir for 1 or 2 minutes.
2. Clean chicken and place in skillet, sprinkling with salt and pepper and scooping extra basil mixture on top of chicken.  Cook for about 4-5 minutes, then flip to other side and cook another 4-5 minutes.  Keep flipping chicken every so often [depending on chicken size] until chicken is golden on the outside and no longer pink in the middle.

Enjoy!

I’ve never tried to cook tofu myself, so I figured now would be a perfect time to try it.  I found some detailed instructions on how to cook or “dry fry” tofu so that it turns out solid and flavorful, instead of crumbly and bland [my worst tofu nightmare].  It’s easy to customize this dish to your liking, or whatever vegetables you have on hand [but i do think that the sauce compliments the asparagus nicely].  It is a long list of ingredients, some of which you may not have as standard kitchen fare, but it’s much easier than it seems at first.  This dish is naturally gluten free and vegan.

ASPARAGUS SHIITAKE TOFU STIR-FRY

serves 4

general ingredients:

• about 3 cups Jasmine rice
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 14-16 oz extra-firm tofu
• 1 bunch fresh asparagus, cut into pieces
• 12 oz Shiitake mushrooms, sliced

marinade:

• 1/4 onion, diced
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup gluten free soy sauce
• 1/8 cup rice wine
• 1/2 tablespoon ginger root, grated
• 1 tsp brown sugar

sauce:

• 2 tablespoons Hoisin or Kecap Manis or similar sauce
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon white pepper
• 5 1/2 tablespoons gluten free soy sauce
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons ginger root, grated
• 1 1/2 tablespoon rice wine
• 3 tablespoons water

[for those gluten free: there is a gluten free Hoisin & Kecap Manis sauce, but not all may be]

1. Cut Tofu into 1/2 inch thick triangles.  Press between paper towel or cloth to squeeze out extra moisture.  Place a non stick pan or cast iron skillet onto medium heat.  Place tofu in pan, without any oil and press with spatula.  The tofu is done when golden on both sides.  It’s easier to cook when you do smaller amounts at a time, so you have more room to flip the pieces.
2. Mix all marinade ingredients in a bowl, then add tofu, submerging the pieces.  If all tofu pieces aren’t covered, add in extra water.
3. Start to cook the rice in rice cooker or according to directions.
4. Add all sauce ingredients in a sauce pan, then place on medium heat.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 3-4 minutes.  Take off of heat.
5. Heat a large pan or wok to medium high heat and add vegetable oil, then drained tofu, asparagus, and mushrooms.  [You can add a little bit of the marinade for extra flavor]  Stir until asparagus and mushrooms are cooked. 
6. Take off of heat and pour in sauce.  Mix until sauce coats tofu and vegetables.  Serve over rice.

Enjoy!

I tend to eat a lot of chicken, but after a while, it can get a little boring.  So, to spice up what I would usually eat, I decided to take on the challenge of red snapper.  Red snapper is a mild white fish, similar to halibut or cod.  Because it’s a mild fish, it goes well with many different flavors, but one of the things that I think always goes well with fish is lemon.  This recipe is naturally gluten free. 

LEMON PARMESAN RED SNAPPER

• 1 1/2 pounds red snapper fillet
• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon dry white wine
• 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
• paprika to taste

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Cut fish into serving sizes.  Pour extra virgin olive oil into pan and add fish, dipping both sides into olive oil.  Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper and bake for 5 minutes.
3. Flip fillets, sprinkle lemon juice, white wine, Parmesan, paprika, and the rest of the salt and pepper on top.  
4. Bake another 5-6 minutes or until fish easily flakes throughout.

Enjoy!

I’m not a vegetarian, but sometimes, I just don’t feel like eating meat.  Even though this dish doesn’t have any meat in it, it’s still very hearty and filling.  It would do very well as a main dish, or as a side.  Because eggplant is a mild vegetable, it’s pretty easy to tolerate, especially when cooked.  This recipe involves making your own tomato sauce, but isn’t necessary if you don’t wish to [but I recommend it].  This dish is super close to being gluten free and is from Jaime’s Italy.

EGGPLANT PARMESAN

• 3 medium or 2 large eggplants
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 14oz cans of plum tomatoes
• sea salt & fresh black pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• fresh oregano, to top, chopped

[to make gluten free: substitute gluten free breadcrumbs for regular bread crumbs]

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Slice eggplant into 1/2 inch slices. Heat up grill.
3. Put olive oil into a large pan on medium heat and add onion, garlic, dried oregano and cook for 10 minutes, or until the onion is soft.  Break up the tomatoes and add them to the pan.  Put a lid on the pan and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. While the sauce is simmering, grill the eggplants on both sides until slightly charred. 
5. When tomato sauce is cooked down, season it with salt, pepper, wine vinegar and basil.  Puree the sauce if you want a smoother consistency.
6. Coat an oven safe dish with olive oil spray.  First add a layer of tomato sauce, then a layer of Parmesan, and finally a layer of eggplant.  Repeat until your dish is full, or you run out or ingredients.  Top with a layer of tomato sauce, then Parmesan.  If you want, you can add an extra layer on top, consisting of breadcrumbs mixed with olive oil and oregano.
7. Put in oven for 30 minutes, or until the top is crispy and the juices are bubbly.

Enjoy!

Every Mother’s Day, my sister and I always make our mom breakfast in bed.  We still do it partly because of tradition and also because none of us want to wait a couple hours for breakfast on one of the busiest restaurant days of the year.  But, I found inspiration for breakfast this year from a restaurant in La Jolla called The Counter, which has amazing breakfast & brunch.  For some reason, the idea of a Polenta Benedict had never crossed my mind before, after I tired it, I fell in love.  I served this with hash browns with spinach, which turned out to be a delicious pairing.  Even though the high volume of layers may seem like a lot, the hardest part of this is making the sauce.  This recipe is naturally gluten free.  Love you mom!

POLENTA BENEDICT WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATO HOLLANDAISE

makes 4 servings, or 8 Benedicts

• 8 eggs
• 2 medium tomatoes, sliced
• 8 pieces of bacon
• a handful of loose leaf lettuce
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 roll of polenta [18 oz], sliced
• 1/2 of a 8.5 oz jar of sundried tomatoes + juice
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp dry mustard
• 2/3 cup evaporated fat-free milk
• 2 tablespoons egg substitute / reddiegg
• 2 teaspoons butter with olive oil
• 2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• fat-free half & half as needed

First, the Hollandaise

1. Pour sun-dried tomatoes and juice into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
2. Combine cornstarch and mustard in small bowl.
3. With a whisk, gradually add in milk and egg substitute.
4. Melt butter in a saucepan.  Pour cornstarch and milk mixture into the saucepan and mix well.
5. Add in lemon juice and salt, then cook over medium-low heat until sauce thickens.
6. Add sun-dried tomato mixture into sauce and mix.  If the sauce has become too thick, add fat-free half & half until you reach desired consistency.

Now, the other ingredients

1. Cook bacon in pan, slice tomato, and rinse lettuce.  Cook eggs in desired way, I poached the eggs. 
2. Slice polenta into discs 1 inch thick. 
3. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to a skillet and place on medium heat.  Add four slices of polenta and cook 3 minutes on each side.  Repeat for other four slices of polenta.
4. Place 2 pieces of polenta on each plate.  Next add bacon, then tomato slices. Place eggs on tomato, then top with sun-dried tomato Hollandaise and lettuce.

Enjoy!

I love baking, it’s one of my most favorite things. I’m also more of a salty person than a sweet person, but it’s sometimes harder to come up with or find recipes that are more savory than sweet. The other day I came across this recipe from Cookin’ Canuck and just couldn’t pass it up! It is the perfect blend of savory bread with cooked vegetables. This bread is an excellent source of vegetables and an easy way to get in a serving or two that might work better for you. This recipe can be made either gluten free or vegan - details below.

CARAMELIZED ONION AND SPINACH BREAD

• 2-3 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 large onion
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 - 2 1/2 cups packed spinach
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup nonfat milk
• 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

[to make gluten free: use gluten free flour instead of unbleached all purpose flour]

[to make vegan: substitute rice, soy, or almond milk for regular milk; leave out eggs and add in an extra 1/4 cup of olive oil]

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Slice onion into thin half circles. Place 2 teaspoons olive oil into skillet on medium heat. Add onions and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook until onions are golden brown, or 10 - 15 minutes.
3. Turn heat down to medium low, add 1 teaspoon of olive oil if necessary, then add garlic and spinach. Stir until spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, and salt.
5. In a large bowl, mix together eggs, milk, and olive oil.
6. Pour flour mixture into olive oil mixture and stir just to combine. Add spinach mixture and mix.
7. Coat loaf pan with nonstick olive oil spray and pour dough into pan.
8. Bake about 35 - 40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool, slice and serve.

Enjoy!

joelle-rose replied to your post: Banana Berry Smoothie

Ohh, I love coconut milk ice cream! My favorite is the “So Delicious” mint :D soo good…

Mint is one of my all time favorites!  I’ll definitely have to check that one out.

The other day, I stumbled across something amazing - strawberry coconut milk “ice cream”.  I had a roommate with Celiac disease [gluten intolerance] who was also lactose intolerant.  She ate coconut milk “ice cream” but hated it, so I’ve always been a little reluctant to try it.  However, I’m sorry that I waited so long to try it, because I love it.  It has the consistency of ice cream, with a big strawberry flavor.  It is extremely delicious & good enough to eat by itself.  I realized that using it in a smoothie with some fruit would be an awesome way to make a dairy free smoothie that tummy would enjoy - both in flavor and Crohn’s terms.  The kind that I have is from Trader Joe’s [picture below] and is both gluten free and vegan. 

BANANA BERRY SMOOTHIE

• 3/4 cup of strawberry coconut milk “ice cream”
• 1 banana
• 1/3 cup blueberries

1. Cut banana into pieces, place in blender with all other ingredients.
2. Blend together until smooth.
3. Add ice & blend if consistency is too thick.

Enjoy!

It’s Cinco de Mayo weekend, which means Mexican food! One of the easiest to make, but most universally used bits of Mexican food is salsa. It’s fresh, zesty, and goes with lots of different things. Making homemade salsa isn’t really as intimidating as it might seem. all you need is a blender or food processor and about 6 ingredients. So even if you’re not going to a large party this weekend, you can still have a little fiesta at your casa. This would go wonderfully with my homemade tortilla chips [also included in that link is a delicious guacamole recipe]. And if you’re looking for some more Mexican food to make this weekend, check out my lime cilantro chicken tacos. This salsa is both gluten free and vegan.

FRESH SALSA

• 3 medium tomatoes
• 1/2 jalapeno
• 1/4 cup onion
• 2 tablespoons cilantro
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
• salt & pepper to taste

1. chop tomato, onion, garlic & cilantro. Cut jalapeno in half, remove seeds, then chop. [Wash your hands after touching jalapeno - don’t touch face or eyes before washing]
2. Add all ingredients to blender or food processor and blend until you reach desired consistency - it can be as smooth or chunky as you want.

Enjoy!

I love the idea of a veggie burger, but I like the idea of making it myself so I know exactly what all is in it.  These sandwiches are an excellent source of vegetables, as most of the patty is made up of veggies, with a couple other ingredients to hold it together and add a little more flavor.  They also are a great substitute for a burger, for those of you who don’t do well with red meat.  For those of you who are Jewish or are familiar with Jewish food, these remind me somewhat of a zucchini latke.  These sandwiches are easily made gluten free - details below.

A side note - when it comes to grating an onion, I’ve found that it’s better to put it in the fridge for a little bit before you grate it.  It will be a little more mushy when grated, but your eyes will definitely thank you.

ZUCCHINI PATTY SANDWICH

makes about 5-6

• 1/2 of a 15.5 can of chickpeas [also called garbanzo beans]
• 1 zucchini, grated
• 1/2 onion, grated
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon coarse / kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 4-6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3 pitas
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• lettuce to top

[to make gluten free: use gluten free breadcrumbs instead of standard bread crumbs, use a gluten free pita bread or other type of gluten free bread]

1. Drain and rinse chickpeas, then place in a bowl and mash.   Stir in zucchini, onion, breadcrumbs, egg, salt, and pepper. 
2. Form into patties, about 4 in by 1/2 in.
3. Place pan on medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of oil to pan per 2 patties.  Sautee 2-3 minutes, or until golden and crisp.
4. Cut pitas in half and fill with patties, lettuce and yogurt.

Enjoy!