Chicken Pesto Quesadilla with Balsamic Glaze

We will keep running forward with the Pesto theme! Again it is more of an idea to spark you all to think a bit outside the traditional box and have some fun with your food. Quesadillas are a fantastic base to play with flavors and bring some variety to your meal rotation. I loved adding the punch of balsamic glaze ( a huge favorite of mine) to the pesto and a little red onion just, wow!! Have a blast with this family pleaser.

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Ingredients:

• Large Tortilla Shells

• 2-4 tbsp of Pesto per Quesadilla

• 1/4-1/3 cup of Mexican melty Cheese ( my favorite)

• Leftover slices (or shredded) of cooked Chicken

• Slices of Grape Tomatoes

• Thinly slice Red Onions

• Drizzle of Balsamic Glaze

Putting together:

First: Heat a griddle to medium heat, lay one tortilla on the griddle for 30 seconds, and then flip

Second: Spread about a tbsp or so onto the tortilla, then add the cheese.

Third: Top with chicken, tomato, and onion.

Fourth: Drizzle with balsamic glaze.

Fifth: Once the cheese is mostly melted, do the flip. You will flip the tortilla in half. It will look like a half-moon. I continue to cook for another 5-8 minutes to get the golden color on the shell.

ENJOY!

Buffalo Chicken Ranch Pizza

Do you ever try a food combo swap? Ya know, taking a favorite meal and combining it into a salad, pizza, grilled cheese? I remember the first time I thought of this pizza. We love wings and we LOVE pizza so why not do a combo! You get my drift. Man, it's fun, and it switches up the humdrum of some worn-out dishes.

So here is the first Food Swap of this brand new series:

Playing with Pizzas

Buffalo Chicken Pizza a goodie and pretty simple! It has all the best parts: Wings plopped on a bed of creamy ranch and topped with zesty buffalo sauce. This is a crowd-pleaser and a family favorite!

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Ingredients:

• 1 pound Chicken Thighs

• 1/2 -1 cup Buffalo sauce

• 14 in Pizza Crust (my favorite GF Namaste)

• 2 cups Mozzarella Cheese

• 3/4 cup Ranch dressing, thicker the better

• 2 handfuls shredded Carrots

• 1 Celery stalk, diced

• 4 Green Onions, diced

Putting IT Together:

STEP ONE: Pre-heat oven at 450. If you have time, I recommend marinating the thighs in 1/4 cup of buffalo sauce then adding all to the IP to cook. You can marinate up to 24 hours. If no time, no worries! Just coat the thighs and cook in the Instant Pot for 12 minutes on HIGH pressure, then release pressure when done. Once cooled a bit, shred and add 2 tbsp of buffalo sauce to the chicken. Now it is ready for the pizza.

STEP TWO: Cook your crust per instructions. If you have a full pre-made crust I recommend cooking for 10 ish minutes to get crispy crust! Have your crust ready to go and load up the toppings!

STEP THREE: Load the Pizza:

Spread 1/2 cup of ranch onto the crust, I save 1/4 cup of ranch to drizzle on the top after cooking. Next add shredded chicken, carrots, white part of the green onions, and drizzle with a couple of tbsp buffalo sauce. Top with cheese.

STEP FOUR: Place on the lower rack of the oven for 10ish minutes till cheese is melted! Top with celery, green part of the green onions, and extra ranch and buffalo.

A couple of TIPS for pizza cookery. Cook on the lowest rack of the oven. Get a good pizza pan, it’s worth the investment. Always let pizza cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting or it will pull apart the cheese!!

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Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Talk about a simple meal with a FUN new twist! My kids just adored and they took for lunch the next day! If you are not a big sweet potato fan you can certainly just have a regular old white potato. I did make the buffalo sauce from scratch, but you can certain find a real ingredient brand from the stores. But I have to say every time I make sauces from scratch the bottled stuff just doesn’t compare. The ranch is also quite easy to throw together and will keep in frig for a week! Enjoy!!

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Ingredients:

The Fixings:

• 5 Baking Potatoes of your Choice, Cooked

• 2 Green onions, chopped

• 2 Celery, diced

• 2 Carrots, diced

• 2 pounds Chicken Thighs

• Ranch

• Buffalo Sauce (below)

Buffalo Sauce:

• 1/2 c Butter

• 1/2 c Hot Sauce, Lola is my favorite

• 1 tbsp White Vinegar

• 1 tspWorcestershire

• 2 dashes garlic powder

*Melt all ingredients together then will toss with cooked chicken

Putting Together:

Bake your potatoes on 350/400 for 30-45 minutes, till done. Should be easy to squeeze.

Diced and cook your thighs in a pan on medium heat, be sure to salt and pepper and cook in butter. I add a couple of tablespoons of buffalo sauce during the cooking as well. Once the chicken is cooked I add all the rest of buffalo sauce and combine.

Once everything is chopped, cooked and mixed, begin the assembly line.

I open the potato add chicken, with plenty of sauce, then ranch over the chicken. Lastly, I top with celery, carrots and onions.

DONE!

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Many think that a creamy soup is fatting, unhealthy and not a nutritious choice for those looking to keep healthy. This could not be further from the truth! This soup has every nutrient you need in one bowl! Healthy Fats (coconut milk & fats), Protein (whole chicken), Complex Carbs (whole grain rice & veggies), and tons of micronutrients from the bone stock!!  The best part is this soup is satisfying and filling not leaving you reaching for snacks a few hours later! 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 onion, diced

• 1/2 red pepper, diced

• 1 cup carrots, diced

• 1 cup celery, leafy part too, diced

• 2 cups mushrooms, diced

• 4 garlic cloves, pressed

• 2-3 tbsp butter

• 1-2 tbsp flour ( I use GF cassava flour)

• 4 cups bone broth

• 1 cup wild rice

• 4 cups shredded or chunked cooked chicken

• 2-16oz full fat coconut milk

• 2 bay leaves

• 1-1/4 tsp+ sea salt

• 1/2 tsp +pepper 

Time to make:

Heat stock pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add butter, onions, peppers. Sautee till softened then add remaining veggies, plus the garlic.  Cook down till all have softened and add remaining butter. Once butter is melted we will make the roux. This gives the thickness to the soup. Sprinkle flour over mixture. Stir and combine mixture for 2 minutes till it is a little thick. Now you will slowly add one cup of broth and stir till it is thick.

Then keep adding, one cup at a time doing the same process. After all the broth is in, add salt, pepper, bay leaf and wild rice. Bring to boil then return to low. Cover the pot and cook on low for 30-45 minutes till the rice is cooked. Once rice is tender, add remaining ingredients, bring to boil again then turn to low for 5-10 minutes! Time to eat!!

Side Notes: if you tolerate dairy you can use cream, whole milk, etc. Also, you can make rice add of time and add fully cook to cut the time down. For best result use homemade bone broth. Here is my version

 

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Honey Mustard Chicken Bake

Ingredients:

•   1 cup avocado oil

•   1/3 cup white wine vinegar

•   2 garlic cloves, pressed

•   4 tablespoons German style grainy mustard

•   1 1/2-2 tablespoons raw honey

•  ½ teaspoon salt and pepper

•  ½ teaspoon salt

•  1 tablespoon rosemary, finely chopped

• 1 whole chicken cut up or 10 bone-in chicken thighs/legs/breasts

Directions

Put all the ingredients, except chicken and rosemary, into a wide mouth mason jar and mix with a hand stick blender.

Next is the Chicken! Use a whole chicken cut up or just legs, thighs etc. I HIGHLY recommend using skin and bone on chicken pieces.  Many benefits (both flavor and nutrition).

Marinade the chicken with the above dressing and add 2 tbsp chopped fresh Rosemary. Use a large ziplock and cover completely. Marinade for at least an hour to 12 hrs. Once the marinade is done, preheat oven at 350. Place chicken pieces in an oversized 9x13. Bake for about an hr. DONE!

Want crisper skin, turn the temp up at the end to 425 for 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Creamy Coconut Chicken Corn Chowder

On a cold fall or winter night, this soup hits the spot! One of my favorite soups are cream soups, but with being intolerant to most dairy I had to learn to make my own. Coconut Milk has saved my life!!! It is so versatile and a simple swap that gives a slightly sweet hint to your dishes!  I also had to learn to make a Roux (paste to thicken the soup) Check out my FB Live on How to make a simple roux for this soup!

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Ingredients:

• 1 cup pepper (green or red), diced
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1 cup celery, diced
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 2 cups red potatoes, diced
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 2 16oz cans full-fat coconut milk
• 1-quart chicken stock or bone broth, 4 cups
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 2-3 tbsp cassava flour (GF) or your four choice
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp tallow
• 1-1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 garlic powder

Directions

1. In a dutch oven, preheat pan over medium-high heat. Add butter and tallow, melt. Then add celery, onions, pepper and cook till onion is translucent. You should have moisture on the bottom of the pan. If not, add an additional tbsp of butter or tallow. Time to make the roux. Turn temp to medium. Once the additional butter is melted sprinkle flour into the pan. I do 1 tablespoon at a time. Whisking together after each tbsp. You need to "cook' the mixture a bit till a paste texture. Then I add one cup of broth and whisk and whisk till all combined. It will begin to thicken. Once a thicker consistency you can add the remaining broth.

2. Time to add remaining ingredients. Coconut milk, carrots, corn, potatoes, chicken, and seasonings. bring to a little boil and then return to simmer for around 20-30 minutes. Once the potato is tender it is ready. 

Bonus tips: 

• You can make on stove top then put in crockpot to keep warm for dinner
• Freezes well
• Coconut milk does not currdle which is a bonus!!

Maple Bacon Butternut Squash Fall Salad

This beautiful fall salad is inspired by a combination of many Pinterest boards. Don't just ya just love Pinterest? This salad is chuck full of all the fall ingredients we LOVE!  Apples, Squash, Kale make this a unique and bountiful salad. Remember that you can easily sub out any ingredient to accommodate your likes or dislikes.

For example, you can use a different cheese for the goat cheese or maybe sweet potatoes for the butternut squash. Not a fan of kale, ok use romaine, spinach or even cabbage! 

Ingredients:

Salad

• 2 cups kale, chopped
• 2 cups baby spinach
• 1/2 small apple diced
• 1 thin slice red onion
• 1/2 -1 cup roasted butternut squash
• 1/2 cup cooked chicken (can easily sub out or omit)
• 1/4 cup walnuts (or your nut of choice, or omit)
• 1 oz goat cheese
• 2-3 tbsp maple bacon dressing (see below dressing)
• salt and pepper to taste

Assembly:

One large bowl, add the kale and 1 tbsp dressing then get your hands dirty and massage the kale! This helps to break down the kale to make it a bit softer and easier to digest. I let it sit for about 15 minutes then add all the remaining ingredients and a little more dressing. This is a dinner size salad for one or a good size salad for lunch. I personally eat this to myself! 

Dressing:

• 1 cup olive oil
• 1/3 white wine vinegar (or your vinegar of choice)
• 3 pieces of bacon chopped and cooked (keep the drippings)
• 2 tbsp bacon grease from above
• 1 1/2 tsp of dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp real maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Mixing: Cooked chopped bacon on the stovetop over medium heat until crispy. Reserve the grease. In a wide mouth mason jar add all the ingredients. Then using an emersion blender stick, mix away! Feel free to add more maple if you like sweeter or take away a like vinegar if too tart. Play with the flavors! Put leftover dressing refrigerator for at least a week. 

Basic Brine Chicken!

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This is one of the easiest ways to prepare chicken. I know that at times white meat of the chicken can get a little dried out, but when you brine the bird you are left with moist and flavorful meat every time! Below is a basic recipe. If using the whole bird I do break it down into its eight pieces. You could easily use just thighs, legs or skin on breasts. Remember leave the bone and skin ON the bird. Tons of flavor and nutrition!

Basic Brine:

• 1/2 Sea Salt
• 1/2 Sugar
• 2 quarts water

Directions: In a large bowl dissolve the sugar & salt into the 2 quarts water. Once dissolved place pieces of chicken in the bowl and cover. Place in refrigerator for at least 2 hrs but not longer than 12. Once done in the brine solution remove, and pat dry. You can then grill or bake to prepare!