Because I Have So Much Time On My Hands... Chicken Pot Pie/Chicken With Dumplings

I'd say I'm back, but with the arrival of boy #2 (oh yeah, I had another baby... surprise!), I doubt if I will keep up with the blogging.  What I AM doing is really trying to share all the half written recipes I've saved here, since I need them on the blog and easy to access instead of this half written draft limbo.  So, you're welcome I guess?

Anyways, this is DELICIOUS and fairly easy, although some time is required to prep things.  I have been doing the chopping and laying out of ingredients in the morning, first round of cooking during naptime, and finishing it off before heading out to get my older son in the afternoon.  Read here: I am doing the crock pot version of this since I don't have 1 hour to devote to standing in front of the oven without someone crying or pulling at my pants.

However, in simpler times the oven version was my favorite (with a Pillsbury crust of course), so whichever you choose you cannot go wrong.

Chicken Pot Pie/Chicken With Dumplings (Crock pot or Oven)

Filling

• 2-3 cups shredded or chopped roasted chicken (depends how much you want in filling, read at very bottom for how to cook in crockpot)
• 1 cup chicken stock, with 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed in
• 1/2 cup coconut milk (or all coconut milk if no stock present)
• 3 stalks celery, sliced (1 cup)
• 6 small carrots, cleaned and diced (1 cup)
• 1/2 medium onion, peeled and chopped (1/2 cup)
• 4 ounces mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
• 1/2 bag frozen peas, thawed
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• sea salt and ground pepper to taste

GF Crust (or use store bought)

• 1 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
• 2 Tbsp chilled grass-fed butter
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp salt

Cook or shred or chop the chicken.  If you are doing the crock pot version of this meal, place your chicken breasts in the crock pot just covered with water.  Add salt, pepper, and a little thyme.  Cook on low for 3 hours, then set liquid aside (can use as your stock) and chop/shred breasts.  OR just buy a rotisserie and save yourself the hassle (this requires advance planning, which I am incapable of).

Once chicken is chopped, or while chicken is in crock pot... Warm oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add celery, carrots, onion, mushrooms, and thyme and saute for 5-10 minutes or until tender. (For spaced out version, this is the end of part one. Your kid is probably up from their nap. Turn off the stove and set pan aside with ingredients still in it.)

(For spaced out version, this happens after you've cooked and chopped your chicken) Add remaining spices, chicken, peas, coconut milk, and chicken stock (make sure you added the cornstarch to it) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer to allow mixture to thicken.

When thickened to desired consistency, pour into casserole dish and cover with the GF** or regular crust.  Place crust of your choosing over top of chicken mixture and bake at 375 until crust is crispy, and filling is bubbling.

**If making GF crust... add flour, butter, egg, and salt in bowl of a food processor, pulse until a soft dough forms. Transfer to a sheet of parchment and use your hands for form a ball.  Top with another sheet of parchment, press down, and use a rolling pin to form dough to a 1/4-inch thick layer.

OR if you don't have time for that crust/cooking in the oven and using a timer sh*t...

Place your mixture in a crockpot on low for 1-2 hours... serve over biscuits of the coconut flour cheddar or almond meal variety (this one only take 90 seconds)!

The End.  Enjoy!

Oh. You wanted a picture?  Here's my kitchen after the first stage. Maybe I'll post more if my toddler lets me later tonight.

Root Overload! What to Do With All Those Carrots.

So, every week I get a bunch of vegetables delivered through a local farm share.  This means I get fresh, organic veggies delivered each Thursday that make me think about new ways to cook.  It can sometimes get challenging, and force me to get extremely creative, especially during certain seasons... one such being carrot season!  You know winter is almost here when all you keep getting in your farmshare goodie bag every week is lots of roots and kale.  More specifically, lots and lots of carrots.  Seriously.  They are filling an entire crisper bin in my fridge right.now.

Anyways, I like a culinary challenge, but carrots are tough.  They don't exactly go with a TON of items, and if you don't like cooked carrots (ahem, R and E, guilty as charged), the list is even shorter with what you can do with them.  How am I solving this problem, you ask?  Why by HIDING them of course!  Shredded carrots are surprisingly versatile.  And they add a bit of moisture, texture, or flavor to whatever you smush them into.  I am still working out a few more recipes, but consider this the first installment of "How to Hide Veggies and Like It."

First up, enter a healthier, lower fat version of my cheesey garlic biscuit.  It still takes delicious and no has zero guilt since you are getting a helping of veggies every time you eat one!  You will notice that the type of veggie you use is interchangeable.  I made this for my very good friend recently to go with her chili... and it passed the test!  This is a must try.

Garlic Cheddar Hidden Biscuits

• 4 tbsp coconut flour
• 1 cup grated carrots/zucchini/eggplant (squeezed)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 cup milk or coconut milk
• 1/4 cup mozzerella cheese, grated
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 egg, slightly beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients (including veggie) then add remaining ingredients and mix.

Use hands to form 4 flat biscuits on parchment paper-lined cookie sheet.  It will be a bit sticky, but just be patient.  Make sure you shape them the way you want them, all they will do is rise, not spread out.

Bake for 12-15 minutes. They won’t turn brown on top but the bottoms will be a nice golden brown.  I of course immediately slather mine with butter, but the choice is yours...

Next up in the hidden carrot family is an amazingly hearty breakfast muffin.  It's my new favorite to make on the weekends because (despite the long ingredient) they are easy to make and never fail to taste great.

Carrot Apple Muffins

• 1 cup almond flour
• 1/2 cup flax meal
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup shredded carrot (about 1 medium carrot)
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1 apple, diced small
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp honey (optional)
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 375.  In a large bowl, add almond flour, carrots, apple, raisins, coconut, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and ginger. Mix well and then add remaing ingredients into bowl with dry ingredients and stir well.  Put in greased muffin tin and cook for about 20 - 30 minutes.  They should bounce back when poked with a finger, and a knife should come out clean.

Of course these are great with melted butter on them, or maybe some cream cheese, but they also hold up well in your purse or pack when you are on the go... and of course taste incredible any way you eat 'em.  So, break out those carrots, get shredding, and enjoy!

**these have been R&E originals

Bread Minus the Guilt; Minimally Modified Primal Part One

So, I know it seems like I am the revision master (ha ha) but sometimes there are recipes that are so perfect already they make me smile.  Sure, maybe I made small tweaks, but honestly, all the credit goes to the original makers.  Enter part one of Minimally Modified Primal... and it's all about bread!  Since these are technically just being shared from other websites there are no pictures this time around... sorry if that's why you came ;)

In our society living without bread is tricky.  It is everywhere.  When you try to order a meal without it you often get strange looks, rolled eyes, or the "it's fine I'll just pick it off later."  Most of the time I am okay being that person, but sometimes you just want a good roll to dip in sauce, biscuit to smother with jam, or bread to hold some lunch meat.  Enter my go to bread recipes.  These are all easy and delicious in their own rights, but very different in result.

This first one is very eggy.  It's good as a meal, but can also be dipped in sauces or spread with cream cheese.  It's also the one that probably takes the most patience to make.

Spinach Bread

•  5 eggs
• 16 oz frozen chopped spinach (thawed and drained)
• butter
• 1/2 cup pine nuts
  3 cloves crushed garlic
  

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease your glass baking dish with butter. Toast your pine nuts in a sautee pan with about a tablespoon of butter. Be very careful! Pine nuts burn easily. Watch them like a hawk and stir constantly. When they start to turn golden brown, they’re done and on the verge of burning.
Chop the nuts up in a food processor.  Mix eggs, garlic, basil, nuts, and spinach together in a mixing bowl. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.  Pour it into your greased pan and cook for about 15 minutes, or until it is no longer jiggly.

For pictures or the original recipe, go to http://www.marksdailyapple.com/spinach-bread/#ixzz1tTlweHI1

This next bread is my favorite for bread type meals.  I have been known to slice it thin and make grilled cheese or spread some jam on a toasted piece.  Some people think it is very dense or dry, but it is incredibly healthy!

Primal Loaf

• 1 ½ cups almond meal
• ¾ cup arrowroot powder
• ¼ cup flaxseed meal
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp agave (optional)
  

In a medium bowl, combine almond flour, arrowroot, flax meal, salt and baking soda.  In a larger bowl, blend eggs 3-5 minutes until frothy.  Stir agave and vinegar into eggs, then mix dry ingredients into wet.  Put into a greased loaf pan of your choice and bake at 350º for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of loaf comes out clean.

For pictures or the original recipe, go to http://www.elanaspantry.com/gluten-free-bread-20/


If you are waiting to be wowed, here is your recipe.  It takes 90 seconds for this bread to cook, in the microwave no less!  The result is a light, fluffy, biscuity goodness.

90 Second Bread

• 1/2 cup almond meal
• 4 tbsp flaxseed meal
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 eggs

Melt butter evenly in two 4 1/2 inch ramekins.  Whisk egg and then slowly drizzle in the melted butter.
To the egg and butter add almond flour, flaxseed meal and salt. Mix well with a spoon. Sprinkle with baking powder and mix one more time. Spoon into ramekins (half in each) and microwave one at a time for 90 seconds.  Remove from microwave with dish towel and invert on a cooling rack.

I did not make this up, nor can I remember where I got it from :)

I have saved the best for last.  This is the ultimate comfort bread.  Make it on a rainy day and you will not be disappointed.

Cheesey Garlic Biscuit

• 2 tbsp coconut flour
• 1/4 cup almond flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tbsp butter, softened (optional)
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 egg, slightly beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix dry ingredients, then add remaining ingredients and mix well with a fork. Portion onto parchment paper on a baking sheet.  Whatever size you make them is the size they will be.  I prefer to make four big guys.  Be sure to flatten with a spoon slightly.  Bake for 12-15 minutes until they don't feel "wet". They won’t turn brown on top but the bottoms will be a nice golden brown.  Once out of oven, smear a bit of salted butter on top and serve warm.  So.  Good.


Modified from http://fastpaleo.com/cheesy-cheese-garlic-biscuits/


And of course... Enjoy!