{Easy Peasy Pasta Sauce}

Yield:  Enough for 1 1/2 boxes of GF spaghetti noodles, cooked
Time:  Less than 5 minutes

1/2 c EVOO
3 garlic cloves, minced or microplaned
1/4 c pasta cooking water
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 Tbls dried parsley (or 1/2 c fresh chopped parsley)
heaping handful of baby kale

Warm your oil in a large saucepan with your garlic and kale till it wilts stirring constantly to release garlic fragrance.  Add all remaining ingredients and warm through.

That's it!  Pour over cooked GF pasta noodles and toss!  How's that for quick and easy?

Optional: Add cooked chicken or fresh, chopped roma tomatoes to the pasta.

{Raspberry Vanilla Cream Pie}

Yield: One 9" spring form pan
Time: 45 min plus 2 1/2 hour chill time

CRUST: 

1 1/2 raw nuts (can use all of one or a mix of walnuts, almonds, cashews, brazil nuts or hazelnuts)
12 medjool dates, soaked 30 minutes and pitted

Place your medjool dates in a food processor and whiz till they make a sticky paste.  Slowly add in your raw nuts, add a little water if necessary to help things along (not too much though).  Press the sticky nut mix into the bottom of your spring form pan and set aside.

CREAM FILLING:

3 c raw cashews, soaked for 3-7 hours then drained
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 c coconut oil (NOT refined)
2 tsp vanilla
3 Tbls lemon juice
1/2 c maple syrup or raw honey
1 c fresh or frozen raspberries (can use any berry you like really)

In a high power blender blend everything but your berries till silky smooth. Taste test.  Pour 75% of this cashew cream into your crust ready pan and place in the freezer to set up for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, add your berries to the remaining 25% of cashew cream in your blender and whiz away.  If you used frozen berries, you may need to add a little more coconut oil to compensate for the water off the berries.  Pour on top of the set vanilla cashew base, cover and place in the freezer for 2 1/2 hours then move to the refrigerator.

Top with Coconut Whipped Cream and fresh raspberries to impress your guests!

{Tropical Lettuce Wraps}

Yield: serves 4-6
Time: 30 minutes

Lettuce leaves (butter, romaine, cabbage, chard)
chicken, cooked (rotisserie, grilled, baked, whatever is good)
3/4 c quinoa, cooked
2 small mangos, diced
1-2 avocados, diced
1/4 c cilantro, chopped
GF hot sauce or chili sauce

Dressing:

2 limes, juiced
2 Tbls EVOO
2 Tbls red wine vinegar (or raspberry vinegar)
4 tsp raw honey
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt

Dressing: Whisk all ingredients together, set aside.

Once your quinoa is cooked, lightly drizzle a little bit of the dressing over the hot quinoa to allow it to soak up the flavors.  Add more dressing to desired 'wetness'. Add in mango, avocado and cilantro, give a quick toss.

In your lettuce leaf, layer your chicken topped with the quinoa mix and top with hot sauce.

Complete Meal Idea: Serve with fresh hummus and veggies.

{Mom's Chicken Curry}

Yield: Serves 4-6
Time: 40 minutes

2-3 c diced/shredded cooked chicken
2 c dry rice, cooked (can also use quinoa)
3 Tbls dairy free butter (I use Earth Balance soy-free)
1/2 c onion, chopped
1 Tbls curry powder
3 Tbls GF flour (I like Sweet Sorghum for this dish)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp coconut sugar
1/8-1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 c chicken broth/stock
1 c dairy free milk (you can use canned coconut milk or hemp)
1 tsp lemon juice

TOPPINGS:

Raisins
Pineapple
Tomatoes
Dill Pickle
Spanish Peanuts
Sunflower Seeds
Pumpkin Seeds
Apple
Celery

Over medium-high heat, melt butter and saute onions till clear.  Add curry and stir to release the bitter, about 30-45 seconds.  Whisk in flour, salt and ginger.  Slowly whisk in milk and broth to avoid clumps.  Bring to a boil stirring constantly for 1 minute.  Turn off heat and add chicken and lemon juice.

Layer on your plate with hot cooked rice (or quinoa), chicken-sauce, and whatever toppings float your boat.

Complete Meal Idea: Serve with a fresh mango iced-tea

{Chicken Pot Pie}

Yield: 1 9x13 pan
Time: 60 minutes

FILLING

2 Tbls coconut oil, divided
1 medium onion, diced
2 large potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch chunks
1 bag frozen mixed veggies (or use fresh, just dice small to cook faster)
2 1/2 c chicken broth/stock
1 ½ c cooked chicken, diced (turkey or sausage would work well also)
1/3 c GF sweet Sorghum flour
1 c Hemp Milk
2 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp ground thyme
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and pepper

CRUST

1 c Potato Starch
1 c brown rice flour
1 T flax meal
1 tsp xanthan gum
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
4 T cold butter (I use Earth Balance soy free version)
1 c buttermilk
2 eggs or 5 Tbls gelatin egg

Preheat oven to 425.

CRUST: In a medium mixing bowl combine all dry ingredients. W/a pastry cutter or two knives cut the cold butter in till mixture is crumbly. Add your egg/egg sub to the buttermilk and stir. Pour egg/milk mix into the mixture and stir well. Allow to sit for approx 10 minutes to allow the dough to get "puffy".

Meanwhile....

FILLING: In a large skillet melt 1 Tbls oil and add chopped onion and potatoes.  Saute till veggies are soft.  Then add spices and stir for a moment to let them release their fragrance.  Add chicken and chicken broth and heat through.

In a separate sauce pan melt 1 Tbls oil and add sorghum flour and whisk for a minute then slowly add in Hemp milk while whisking to avoid clumps.  Allow to heat through for a couple of minutes to start thickening then pour milk mix into the skillet and mix thoroughly.

Pour everything into a 9x13 pan and drop biscuit dough on top in big spoonfuls.

Place in oven uncovered then immediately turn oven down to 400 and bake approx. 18 minutes or until biscuits are golden.


TIP: The biscuits on top will soak up some of the filling, if you like extra filling, I suggest upping the filling recipe by another 1/2.

Complete Meal Idea: Serve with a fresh fruit bowl mix and Vegan Coleslaw

{Lime Cream Pie}

Yield: One 9" spring form pan
Time: 30 minutes plus 3 hours chill time

CRUST:

12 medjool dates soaked 30 minutes drained and seeded
1/3 c raw walnuts
1/3 c raw cashews
1/3 c raw almonds
1 tsp vanilla

Place the dates in the food processor and whiz till they make a paste.  Add nuts and vanilla and whiz till sticky and desired consistency.  If you feel your food processor is struggling, add 1-2 Tbls of water.

Press mixture onto the bottom of your spring form pan and set aside.

CREAM FILLING:

2 c raw cashews soaked 2-6 hours, rinsed and drained
1 lime, juiced
1/4 tsp lime zest (optional)
1/3 c + 2 Tbls raw honey
6 Tbls coconut oil (NOT refined)
2 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt

Place everything in a high powered blender and blend till super, super smooth.  Taste test.  Once finished, pour over prepared crust, cover and freeze for 3 hours then move to the refrigerator.

Top with Coconut Whipped Cream and a lime wedge for a fancy touch when guests are over!

{Fresh Basil & Tomato Chicken}

Yield: Serves 6
Time: 30 minutes

SAUCE:

3 large chicken breasts
4 Tbls coconut oil
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 1/2 clove garlic, minced (I just use a microplane, it's quicker)
1/2 c fresh basil, chopped
3 Tbls CF butter (I use Earth Balance soy free)
1/2 tsp dried basil, divided
1/2 tsp dried oregano, divided
salt and fresh ground pepper

NOODLES:

1 1/2 packages favorite GF spaghetti style noodles
1-2 Tbls lemon juice
1/4 c fresh parsley, chopped (or sub 1/2 Tbls dried)
Fresh ground pepper
1 tsp EVOO

Sauce: Heat your coconut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Season your bare naked breasts (ha! ha!) with salt, pepper, half the dried basil and half the dried oregano.  When the oil is hot add your seasoned breasts and cook through on each side, roughly 4-5 minutes each side.  After you flip your breasts over season the other side with the remaining basil and oregano, can add a little more salt and pepper if you'd like.

Once your chicken is nice and golden on both sides, remove it to a plate and let it rest a moment.  Meanwhile, add your tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic and butter to the same chicken pan and start to stir around scraping the bottom to pull up all the good sizzled chicken bits stuck to the bottom, it totally adds to the flavor!  Slice your chicken and add back to the pan.  Ready to serve.

Noodles: Boil your noodles according to package.  Once cooked & drained add remaining ingredients and toss.

Serve chicken sauce over the lemon noodles.

Complete Meal Idea: Serve with romaine spears and ranch dressing to dip them in.