Skinny Dip

This is a great skinny dip. The 7 layer dip revisited. All the separate components of this dip are great to have on hand for other applications. You can have 2/3 cup of this dip for about 14carbs 145cal.

Skinny Dip  serves 8
First you need to saute 1 small onion with 2 garlic cloves until softened, set aside.  
You need 2-3 limes to make 2tbsp of juice. 1 bunch of cilantro chopped. You'll need 2-3 tomatoes (or a salsa of your choice) and 1/4 cup total of shredded cheddar cheese to top the dip.


Black Bean
1/2 onion and garlic blend 
1 can black beans
1 tbsp minced chopotle pepper in adobo (I buy the small can and freeze the rest)
1 tbsp lime juice
1/4 tsp cumin
1 tbsp water
1/2 tsp salt
Combine all ingredients into a food processor and blend

Corn Salsa
1 shallot minced
1/2 tbsp lime juice
2 cups corn kernels
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup scallions
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
salt and black pepper 
Mix all together and set aside 

Avocado Cream
2 ripe avocados
1/4 cup cilantro
1/2 onion and garlic blend
1/2 tbsp lime juice 
Puree all ingredients in food processor and set aside

Taco Cream
1 package taco seasoning (I used a gluten free McCormick blend)
2 cups low-fat Greek yogurt
Blend together

Layer in this order:
black bean
corn salsa
avocado cream
taco cream
cheese
Serve up with tortilla chips, cucumber slices, plantain chips or crackers. 

Tex Mex

This is the easiest tex mex soup in the world. Big flavor in such a short time. I love it and everyone is always asking me to make it. It also freezes well and heats up so nice. It's a good one for the crock pot. 

 

Truly Tex Mex Soup

1 medium onion

1/4-1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cumin
2 tbsp oil
4 cups low sodium chicken broth (GF)
12 oz shredded rotisserie chicken breast meat
1 cup frozen corn
2 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 ripe avocado + a spoonful of salsa, chips

 

n 5-quart sauce-pot, cook onion, cumin and chili powder in oil on medium-high for 5 minutes, or until onion starts to brown. Add chicken broth. Heat to simmering; stir in rotisserie chicken breast meat, corn, lime juice, and cilantro. Simmer 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped avocado and a scoop of salsa and tortilla strips.

 

If you want to use a slow cooker, literally just drop everything in and save avocado for the end and a scoop of salsa and tortilla strips.

 

 

Tex Mex Stuffed Peppers

2 Bell Peppers, tops sliced off and hollowed

1/2 cup prepared taco meat

1/4 cup cotija cheese

1/4 cup cheddar or blended cheese 

1 small can of green chillies chopped small

1/2 cup mashed black beans or re-fried beans 

In a baking dish, lightly spray the bottom of the pan or place peppers atop non stick tinfoil. Pour in 1 tablespoon water. 

In the bottom of each pepper start with refried beans, then taco meat, a scoop of green chillies and then top with cheese mixture. Back at 350o for about 20-25 minutes. The edges of the pepper should start to curl. If the cheese looks like it's starting to get to brown, place a little bit of tinfoil over the top. 

When they come out of the oven, let them sit for about 5 minutes. 

Top with:

 Sour Cream, Salsa, Tomatoes, Onion, Avocado, Olives, shredded lettuce or whatever your favorite toppings are.

Salad Change Up

We all love those restaurant recipe salads, they are a big go to. We think we are getting a healthy salad, but in most cases we are not. Here are a few of those favorites, but they are lightened up a bit.

Oriental Chicken Salad feeds 4
1 (16 oz) bag of coleslaw mix
2 cups romaine chopped
2 cooked chicken breasts- grilled or baked with 
                 1 tsp tamari, 1/2 tsp coconut oil/oil pepper and onion powder
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper (I used red)
1/2 cup cooked edamame (If you're watching soy, replace with a green onion or celery)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 
11 ounce can mandarin oranges
sliced almonds, toasted
2 tbsp crunchy chow mein noodles*
sesame seeds
Dressing:
1/2 cup rice vinegar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar, splenda or honey
2 tablespoons canola oil
salt and pepper pinch

*I have yet to find a gluten free chow mein noodle, sorry 



Lemon Chicken Caesar 

3 romaine lettuce heads, chopped (or torn)
12 oz grilled chicken breast, boneless, skinless, sliced
3/4 cup Lemon Caesar dressing
1/4 cup whole wheat or GF croutons
1/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese 

Dressing:
8 oz nonfat plain yogurt
1/4 cup mayonnaise
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 to 2 tsp. anchovy paste in a tube (This is a better method than opening a small can)
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
Sea salt and ground black pepper

Buffalo Chicken Salad makes 4 salads
2 chicken breasts
       marinate your chicken in franks red hots with a squeeze of lemon and 1/2 tsp oil. Bake chicken on foil lined sheet until thoroughly cooked about 15 minutes at 400o. Remove and let cool. Do not slice until your salad is assembled

2 tbsp crumbled blue cheese 
1 tbsp ranch dressing (I used lighthouse brand)
1 tsp franks red hots sauce
2 carrots peeled and sliced into rounds
2 stalks celery cut on the bias
4 cups mixed romaine and iceberg lettuces

Mix greens, celery and carrots with ranch. It doesn't seem like very much ranch dressing, but it will be. Portion out your salad, top with chicken and blue cheese crumbles and drizzle the buffalo sauce on top of chicken. 





This next salad is my very favorite. I swapped out the sour cream in the dressing for low fat plain yogurt and an extra pinch of cumin and a squeeze of lime. It made it even better. Trust me on this one, it's better than the original. The object of the game is to bump up all the veg, mix the salad with as little as 1 1/2 tsp dressing and mixing your own bean salsa instead of buying homemade. I do recommend the black bean salad at The Store. It's all natural and full of really yummy seasonings that are all gluten free and fresh. If I use that salsa mix, I use 1 tbsp total for my salad.

 
Chipotle Chicken Salad makes 4 servings
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro1/2 cup plain lowfat yogurt
1 tablespoon minced chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce*
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
4 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt

*If you don't like your dressing with heat, try adding 1 small can of green chilies instead of the chipotle in adobo.  

2 chicken breasts, seasoned with cumin, salt and pepper and cooked in a skillet or baked in oven
4 cups romaine or mixed blend
1 avocado cubed
1/4 cup black bean salsa
                 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
                 1 large tomato diced, seeds removed
                 1/2 can sweet corn
                 1/2 bell pepper diced (I used red)
                 1 shallot sliced in rings or minced
                 1 small jalapeno minced
                 1/2 tsp cumin
                 1 tsp oregano
                 1/2 tsp salt
                  2-3 dashes pepper
                  2 limes juiced
                 1/2 tsp cider vinegar 

Toss your greens with dressing, then top with all veg and chicken. Drizzle a little more dressing if needed. Enjoy!

Southwestern Yeah!

If you know me, you know I love anything Mexican/southwestern. These recipes are easy and so tasty and really hit the spot when you're hankering for some flavor and spice. 


Easy Fajitas
Spice blend 3 tablespoons cornstarch 2 tablespoons chili powder 1 tablespoon kosher salt 1 tablespoon paprika (for more kick, use hot paprika) 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon sugar/splenda 1/2 teaspoon cumin 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Marinade 2 tablespoons oil juice from one lime 2 tablespoons spice blend
2 pounds of New York strip steak (skirt steak or sirloin work well too)
2-3 colored peppers of your choice
1 medium onion
1 tablespoon oil

Corn tortillas or flour if you're not GF
Mozzarella cheese 

Mix together all ingredients for the spice blend in a bowl. Combine marinade ingredients in a freezer bag, seal and shake to combine. Add the steak and refrigerate for one hour or even over night if you want. Slice the peppers and onions and combine in a foil or casserole pan with a teaspoon of the spice blend and 1 tablespoon of oil. Push the veggies to one side of the pan, add your steaks next to the veggies and bake in your oven at 350o for 25 minutes depending on the thickness of your steak. Please note: your steak will not be crusty on the outside if you were to grill it in a pan or on a bbq, it will be soft and medium on the inside. I do this so my little one can chew it easily, but if you'd rather grill your steak then cook your veggies spread evenly in the pan for the same amount of time. 

Remove steak from pan and let sit for a short minute. Then slice the steak on the diagonal. Assemble your fajitas on warm tortillas or in a lettuce cup. Add a squeeze of lemon if you wish. 

If you have left over seasoning mix, just pop it into the freezer until the next time you make southwestern flavors. Works well with tacos and enchiladas.  




This next recipe is really tasty. Whether you put a sweet filling in the empanadas or a savory one, you'll love these flavors. For a sweet filling simply add preserves or pie filling. You can also mix nutella and coconut flakes and serve with whipped creme. I've listed a favorite sweet filling and a yummy beef filling below.

Empanada Dough (gluten free) original recipe below
1 large egg
3 1/2 T ice water
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 C white or brown rice flour
1/4 C cornstarch (potato starch will work too)
1/4 C tapioca flour, plus a little more for rolling the dough 
3/4 tsp xanthan gum
1 T granulated sugar/splenda
1/8 sea salt
1 T shortening 
oil for frying (you will fry these empanadas at 350o so they wont burst or bubble

If you're making a sweet filling add
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp cocoa powder

Line the baking sheet with paper towels and place a wire rack on top and set it aside. In a small bowl, whisk egg, water and vanilla together. In a medium size bowl, whisk flour, zantham gum, sugar, salt and if using cinnamon. 

Add shortening to flour mixture and using a pastry cutter or fork, cut the shortening into the flour until little pea sized crumbs. 

Add egg, and combine with a wooden spoon or spatula, forming a ball. Then switch to your hands, making sure there is no dry flour left. If the dough seems dry add a tiny bit of water. If it seems to wet, add cornstarch. Knead the dough till its smooth. 

Transfer dough to a dusted surface and divide it into 4ths. Store the pieces in a zipper storage bag or wrap in plastic while waiting to roll. 

Dust rolling pin with tapioca flour and roll in 1/8 inch circles. You can use a biscuit cutter or a glass rim. Roll each circle even thinner and then fill with desired filling. 

Traditional recipe (None Gluten Free)

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the work surface
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar
Pinch salt
1/2 cup lard or shortening
1 egg
3/4 cup chicken stock

Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Cut in the lard with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg and then whisk in the stock. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and knead until a dough forms. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Beefy Empanada Filling
2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon garlic salt
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped

In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground beef and garlic salt and cook until the beef is cooked completely. Drain the grease and set the beef aside.

In the same pan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the tomato paste, vinegar, cumin, chili powder, oregano, seasoned salt, garlic, bell peppers and onions. Cook until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. The mixture should be moist but not dripping wet. Now you are ready to fill the empanadas. Seal the edges with some egg mixed with water.

Fry the empanadas until golden brown, 6 to 7 minutes.

Sweet Strawberry Cream Cheese
6 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1 tablespoons coconut milk
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
1/2 cup strawberry jam

1 large egg, at room temperature 3 1/2 Tablespoons iced water 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/2 cup white or brown rice flour 1/4 cup cornstarch (or potato starch) 1/4 cup tapioca flour, plus more for rolling 3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum (or guar gum, if corn intolerant) 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar (or 1/4 teaspoon stevia powder) 1/16 teaspoon fine sea salt 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon cocoa powder, for golden color (optional) 1 Tablespoon shortening 2 quarts oil, for ...

Read more at glutenfreerecipebox.com/mini-fried-gluten-free-pies/ © Carla's Gluten Free Recipe Box

Pork Carnitas Nachos  
3lb boneless pork butt or shoulder blade roast  
1-2 tablespoons seasoning mix from above fajitas mix 
1/2 cup chicken broth 

Bag of tortilla chips
black beans
sour cream
avocado mixed with 1 tablespoon sour cream + 1 tablespoon Herdez green salsa
tomato, diced 
cheese sauce
           1 cup Monterey jack cheese 
           1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese 
           1 small can of green chilies
           1 tsp corn starch
           1 cup broth
           1/2 tsp taco seasoning

Season your pork with seasoning mix, place in your crock pot with your chicken broth and cook on high for about 4 hours, shred and place back in warm crock pot. 

Grate cheeses, mix with cornstarch. Heat broth in a small pot, add cheese and stir well until melted. Add green chilies.

Preheat oven to 400o Arrange your chips on a heat proof plate, top with carnitas, beans, cheese sauce. Place in oven and heat through, about 5 minutes. 
Once removed, add tomato, avocado and sour cream.