Sausage & Grits Casserole

This Sausage and Grits Casserole is amazing! My brother also gave it a raving review claiming it’s the best casserole he’s ever had! One bite of this creamy and decadent casserole and I’m sure you would also agree. This flavorful casserole is fairly easy to prepare, can be made in advance, reheats well, and is versatile – can be served for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

 

Click here for recipe from Sugar & Spice by Celeste

Mango & Avocado Spring Salad

I’m not a huge salad fan, but lately I’m getting hooked on amazingly delicious salads. This spring salad is uber flavorful, fresh, and light – perfect for a warm, spring day. I didn’t buy any oranges at the store the week I made this salad, so I compensated with extra mango and avocado. It still tasted delicious.

The “icing on the cake” for this salad is the Homemade Vinaigrette. I just started eating salad dressing the past 4-5 years. Would you believe that I ate plain salads with no dressing until only recently? My condiment-loving husband who drenches all foods in any sauce he can find (ketchup, barbeque, salad dressing, hot sauce) has called me a rabbit for eating plain-Jane salads. J I’m still not a huge salad dressing fan, so I typically only use a teaspoon or two for my salads or order dressing on the side to barely dip my lettuce into it. This Homemade Vinaigrette is the exception – I followed my husband’s lead and drenched my salad in it! The Vinaigrette is light, slightly tangy from the apple cider vinegar and lemon, and slightly sweet from the honey. It’s amazing; seriously, it couldn’t be simpler to prepare.  

 

Click here for recipe from Iowa Girl Eats

Creamy Chicken Spinach Artichoke Pasta

 

This Creamy Chicken Spinach Artichoke Pasta recipe was inspired by my Creamy Garlic and Mushroom Pasta recipe and my love for Spinach Artichoke Dip. My Creamy Garlic and Mushroom Pasta has been my go-to pasta recipe for months. It’s quick and easy to make, super flavorful, and the possibilities are endless for what I find in my fridge/pantry to toss in.

This Chicken Spinach Artichoke variety was just as delicious as the original. I made a double batch to share with my family, and we all enjoyed it!

Creamy Chicken Spinach Artichoke Pasta
Ingredients:
·2 tsp extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
·1 TBS minced garlic
·1½ TBS butter, divided
·¼ tsp salt
·½ tsp pepper
·1½ cups homemade chicken stock
·2 cups water
·½ lb gluten free spaghetti noodles
·1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
·¾ cup skim milk
·1 cup cooked, shredded chicken
·1-2 cups fresh spinach leaves
·¼ cup chopped artichoke hearts

Directions:
In a large pot, heat the EVOO over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute. Add butter, heat until melted. Add salt, pepper, chicken stock, and water. Raise the heat to medium-high and let it come to a boil.

Once boiling, add the pasta and cook for as long as the box’s directions indicate. Once the pasta is cooked to al dente, reduce the heat to medium and mix in the mozzarella cheese until melted. Remove from heat and stir in the milk, chicken, spinach leaves, and artichoke hearts. Stir until spinach is wilted. Serve.

Peanut Butter Blondies (Flourless)

My husband made these Peanut Butter Blondies for us, so you know they are easy to prepare if he’s baking! These blondies are rich and very peanut buttery, which definitely helps even this sweet tooth not over-indulge. We found that they are best served warm and gooey out of the oven.

As a chocoaholic sweet tooth, I prefer brownies over blondies. What’s your favorite – blondie or brownie? Do you have a favorite recipe to share?

Click here for recipe from The Detoxinista

In My Pantry: Kinnikinnick Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

 

When I don’t feel like baking Homemade Gluten Free Oreo Cookies, I pick up a pack of Kinnikinnick Chocolate Sandwich Cookies. They taste very similar to Oreos and are delicious dunked in glass of milk!

If you’re gluten free, what gluten cookies do you miss the most? Have you found a store-bought or homemade recipe for your old favorite cookie?

Oreos were my favorite, specifically the white chocolate dipped Oreos available around Christmas. Luckily, I’ve found both store-bought and homemade recipes for gluten free Oreos. I just need to get around to dipping them in white chocolate one of these days.

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. It's a product I bought, loved, and wanted to share with you!

Creamy Garlic Shells with Spinach and Cherry Tomatoes

This is a garlic lovers pasta dish. It's creamy with amazing garlic flavor. The spinach adds a nice crunch and the cherry tomatoes add some sweetness to counteract the garlic. Yum!

Creamy Garlic Shells with Spinach and Cherry Tomatoes
Adapted from Iowa Girl Eats

Ingredients:
·1 cup gluten free pasta shells (I use Tinkyada)
·1 TBS EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
·1 TBS butter
·2½ tsp minced garlic
·1 TBS cornstarch
·¾ cup chicken broth
·¾ cup skim milk
·Salt and pepper
·¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
·½ tsp garlic powder
·2 tsp parsley flakes
·8oz cherry tomatoes, halved
·1 cup spinach leaves

Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Heat butter and EVOO in a small saucepan until butter melts. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Sprinkle in cornstarch and cook for 1 minute.

Slowly pour in chicken broth and milk, whisking until mixture is smooth. Season with salt and pepper, then switch to a wooden spoon and stir constantly until mixture is thick and bubbly – about 5 minutes.

Take pot off heat and stir in cheese, garlic powder, and parsley until smooth. Add cooked pasta, tomatoes, and spinach; stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Serve.

Spicy Roasted Veggie Mac ‘n Cheese

This mac 'n cheese recipe is full of spicy flavor. It's packed full of roasted veggies and doesn't use butter, so it's healthier than other recipes.

My husband claims to dislike homemade mac 'n cheese, he prefers the blue box. I, on the other hand, love homemade mac 'n cheese. It's my mom's specialty, a childhood favorite that she still makes frequently for us. I told Mike this was a veggie alfredo recipe and he actually liked it. He never caught on that it was mac 'n cheese, despite the fact it clearly tasted like mac 'n cheese to me. His vendetta against homemade mac 'n cheese is all in his head, just don't tell him I duped him! :)

Spicy Roasted Veggie Mac ‘n Cheese
Adapted from Comfort of Cooking

Ingredients:
·1 – 16oz bag frozen broccoli florets
·1 red pepper, diced
·1 yellow pepper, diced
·20 baby carrots, sliced thinly
·1½ cups gluten free pasta shells
·Olive oil cooking spray
·1 TBS EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
·1 tsp minced garlic
·1½ TBS cornstarch
·1½ cups milk
·2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
·¾ tsp each – crushed red pepper, cayenne pepper
·Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
 Preheat the oven to 425˚. Prepare pasta according to package directions, cooking to al dente. Cover a large baking sheet with foil, coating with cooking spray. Toss prepared veggies onto the sheet, spraying the tops with cooking spray. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until vegetables have softened and have begun to roast. Remove from oven and set aside.

Heat EVOO in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk, stirring constantly until mixture is slightly thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in cheddar cheese until melted. Add red pepper, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Stir in cooked macaroni shells and roasted vegetables. Serve.

Horseradish Mashed Potato Shepherd’s Pie

The secret to this dish is horseradish sauce. It adds an amazing, spicy flavor the the mashed potato layer that pulls the entire dish together.

I've officially discovered horseradish sauce with this new recipe. Its spicy flavor is amazing. I don't know why it's taken me this long to discover it. I need more horseradish recipes in my recipe book; what are your favorite horseradish recipes?

Horseradish Mashed Potato Shepherd’s Pie
Adapted from Rachael Ray

Ingredients:
·5 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1” chunks
·Salt and pepper
·½ cup skim milk
·2 TBS horseradish sauce
·2 TBS EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
·5 carrots, peeled and chopped
·1 onion, chopped
·1 bay leaf
·1 lb lean ground beef
·1 TBS cornstarch
·2 TBS butter
·2 TBS chives

Directions:
Place potatoes into a large pot of water, bring to a boil. Lower the heat and cook until fork-tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, then mash with milk until smooth. Stir in horseradish and season with salt and pepper.

In a large skillet, heat the EVOO. Add the carrots, onion, and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until crisp-tender, 8-10 minutes.

Crumble the beef into the pan and cook, stirring often. Sprinkle in cornstarch and add butter. Cook until thickened, 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper: discard the bay leaf.

Preheat the oven to 450˚. Grease a shallow, medium casserole dish. Add the meat mixture and top with the horseradish potatoes. Bake until golden, 5-10 minutes. Sprinkle the chives on top.

Chinese Orange Chicken

As I mentioned last week, Mike and I went on a Chinese addiction a last month. It also involved this new recipe - Chinese Orange Chicken. We revised the original recipe to make it gluten free and healthier (less oil and sugar, added veggies). The result was still delicious - sweet, but not too overwhelming; crunchy, but not coated in a greasy, fried batter.

While our Chinese addiction has ended for now, I'm sure it won't be long until we crave it again. What's your favorite Chinese dish?

Chinese Orange Chicken
Adapted from Cooking Classy

Ingredients:
·1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced into 2” pieces
·1 cup chicken broth
·1 TBS orange zest
·½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
·⅓ cup white vinegar
·¼ cup gluten free soy sauce
·⅓ cup granulated sugar
·¼ tsp ginger
·¼ cup chopped onion
·2 tsp minced garlic
·1 tsp Sriracha
·Salt and pepper
·3 TBS EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
·3 TBS cornstarch
·2 cups broccoli, steamed
·Brown rice for serving, green onions and sesame seeds for garnish

Directions:
Place chicken pieces in a large bowl, season with salt and pepper, set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine chicken broth, orange zest, orange juice, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, ginger, onion, garlic, Sirarcha and pepper. Whisk mixture well, then measure out ⅔ cup of the mixture and pour it over the chicken. Press chicken into marinade, cover, and refrigerated for 30 minutes.

Heat remaining sauce mixture over medium heat and bring just to a boil, stirring frequently. Stir in a few teaspoons of water if it becomes too thick, stir in a teaspoon of cornstarch if it becomes too thin. Remove from heat when thickened.

Heat EVOO in a large skillet or dutch oven. Stir cornstarch into chicken marinade. Carefully place marinated chicken pieces into hot oil, cooking for 5-7 minutes until golden brown – turning once or twice during cooking. Remove chicken from pan and toss with sauce.

Stir in cooked broccoli. Serve warm over brown rice garnished with chopped green onions and sesame seeds.

Lighter Sesame Chicken

Finding gluten free Chinese food is difficult. I do enjoy it occasionally from P.F. Chang's or Pei Wei, but I prefer to make it from scratch at home. It's healthier and I have the flexibility to eat a wide variety of Chinese dishes. Mike made this sweet and crunchy Lighter Sesame Chicken for dinner a month ago, and we inhaled it.

It was so good it kicked off a solid few weeks of making Chinese for dinner at least once a week. (Confession, it also involved a trip to P.F. Chang's for dinner with my sister). Stay tuned next week for another homemade Chinese dish. In the meantime, here are some of older Chinese recipes:
  Beef and Broccoli
  Spicy Cashew Pork and Broccoli
  Cashew Chicken
  General Tso's Chicken
  General Tso’s Chicken (Crockpot)
  Kung Pao Chicken
  Orange Chicken Stir-Fry
  Spicy Chicken (P.F. Chang's Knock-Off)
  Sweet and Sour Chicken (Crockpot)
  Asian Edamame Fried Rice


Click here for recipe from Iowa Girl Eats

Balance Bar Dark Review and Giveaway

BalanceBar contacted me a few weeks ago to see if I’d like to try their newproduct line - BalanceBar Dark and share it with my readers. To be honest, I didn’t know muchabout Balance Bar before I was contacted; I researched the brand beforeagreeing to do this review and giveaway. After learning that the new line of Balance Bar Darkis certified gluten free, high in protein, and are made with decadent darkchocolate (my favorite), I decided itis a product I would definitely love to try and share with you.

AsI shared last week, breakfast/snack/nutrition bars are my go-to breakfast as I driveto work during the week. What interested me in trying Balance Bar Darkbars is that not only are they decadentand indulgent, but they are also healthy and meant to boost energy and satisfy hunger.The new Balance Bar Dark bars are high in protein, certified glutenfree, an excellent source of antioxidants (Vitamins A, C, E),certified kosher dairy and contain 4 grams of fiber per serving.

I also learned a new nutritionprinciple that all Balance Bars follow (including the new Dark line) –40-30-30. Balance Bar claims 40-30-30 is a proven formula developed byscientists to help stabilize blood sugar levels that represents the caloricratio the body needs to enjoy lasting balanced energy and satisfy hunger forlonger; 40% of total calories from carbs, 30% from quality protein and 30% fromdietary fat.

 

Review:
My husbandwas just as excited as I was to receive the box of goodies in the mail fromBalance Bar two weeks ago. He couldn’t wait to try Dark Chocolate Coconut, andI couldn’t wait to try Dark Chocolate Peanut. To my surprise, we both absolutely LOVED the Dark Chocolate Coconutbar. The flavor reminded me of German Chocolate Cake, and the texture wasgooey and crunchy – a perfect combination!

I alsoenjoyed the sweet and crunchy Dark Chocolate Crunch bar. I was disappointedwith the Dark Chocolate Peanut bar – it tasted stale and didn’t have enoughpeanut flavor for me (I’m a peanut butter-holic). If you are looking for abitter dark chocolate flavor, I didn’t pick up on it in these bars. Instead,they have a deliciously sweet dark chocolate flavor.

All threeof the bars did keep my hunger satisfied throughout the morning. I’m hooked onthe Dark Chocolate Coconut bars and already have them on my grocery list. I’llhave to “hide” them in the pantry from my husband, as I know they’ll disappearquickly between the both of u

Giveaway:

Just in time for Earth Month, BalanceBar Company, maker of one of America’s original nutrition bars, is excitedto share the new Balance Bar Dark line – the first nutrition bar line on themarket to bear the well-respected Rainforest Alliance Certified™ seal with one lucky reader. The line is availablein three flavors -Dark Chocolate Crunch,Dark Chocolate Coconut and Dark Chocolate Peanut.

To enter the Balance Bar Dark giveaway, you needto like and follow Balance Bar on Facebook & Twitter. Then, leave a comment on this post with the flavoryou are most excited to try. Be sure to include your email address in yourcomment so I can contact you if you win.

Guidelines: One winner per household, email address or home address. If youhave won this prize on another blog you are ineligible to win again. Giveawayis open to U.S. residents only (sorry, international friends and readers).Giveaway will close on April 18, 2013. Winner will be notified by email and their namewill be updated on this page. Winner has until April 23, 2013 to respond, or anotherwinner will be chosen.

Giveaway is closed. Congratulations Manda!

Disclaimer: Balance Bar provided the product forme to review and is sponsoring the giveaway. However, my review and opinionswritten above are my own.

In My Pantry: Van's Gluten Free Snack Bars

 

It's been way too long since I’ve shared new gluten free products that have made their way into my pantry. I’m really excited that I learned about Van's Gluten Free Snack Bars; my mom and brother introduced me to them and I absolutely love them!

I’ve been enjoying Van’s Snack Bars for breakfast during the week for the past month. They are perfect for me to eat during my commute into work with a glass of milk. The bars are chewy, flavorful, and made with ingredients that are good for you. All three flavors available taste great, but Peanut Butter Chocolate and Cranberry Almond are my favorites.

What’s your favorite breakfast when you are on-the-go?

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. It's a product I bought, loved, and wanted to share with you!

Vegetarian Quinoa Chili (Crockpot)

This spicy, flavorful, and meatless meal is still full of protein with the additions of quinoa and black beans.

I made this Vegetarian Quinoa Chili for a Friday at the beginning of Lent (yes, that's how behind I am in posting recipes). I thought my husband would turn-up his nose at this meatless meal with quinoa, but he surprisingly liked it. I absolutely loved it.

This recipes makes a ton of chili. If you don't want to be eating chili for weeks, I recommend freezing at least half of the batch. I found my favorite way to freeze soup on Pinterest. Dividing the soup into muffin tins, then place the muffin tin in the freezer. Once the soup is frozen, I remove the pucks of soup and place them in a labeled freezer storage bag. When I'm in the need for a quick meal, all I have to do is place a few pucks into a bowl and reheat in the microwave.

Vegetarian Quinoa Chili (Crockpot)
Adapted from Sweet Treats & More

Ingredients:
·1 cup quinoa, rinsed
·1 – 28oz can crushed tomatoes
·1 – 14oz can Rotel
·2 – 16oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained
·1 – 16oz can frozen corn
·2½ cups chicken or vegetable stock
·1 large bell pepper, seeded and chopped
·½ cup chopped onion
·1 tsp each – minced garlic, cumin, crushed red pepper, chili powder, salt and pepper
·½ batch Homemade Taco Seasoning

Directions:
Place all ingredients into a 6 quart crockpot and cook for 5-7 hours on low. Keep warm until ready to serve. Garnish with shredded cheese.

Meat variation: Add 2 chicken breasts to crockpot. After 5-7 hours, remove chicken and shred it. Return to crockpot, stir, and serve.

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

These Oatmeal Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies are delectable. It's a good thing the recipe only makes 6 sandwich cookies, as Mike and I devoured the whole batch within a day; they are that good.

It's been a month since I last posted a new recipe; I'm sorry. Mike and I are settling into our new home, new jobs, and our new routines. We love it and are spending as much free time as we can with the family and friends we've missed so much over the past 3 years of living 9 hours away from home.

Trying new recipes is still on my priority list, but blogging has definitely shifted towards the bottom. I'm taking photos of the new recipes we try, and then waiting until a slow day - like the cold and snowy one we have to today (yuck!) - to catch up on blogging. I'm working on 7 posts today, so I can promise one new recipe a week for the next 7 weeks.

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies
Cookie Ingredients:
·¾ cup rolled oats
·¼ tsp baking soda
·1/8 tsp salt
·2 TBS brown sugar
·1 TBS plus 2 tsp white sugar
·2 TBS peanut butter
·2 TBS milk
Filling Ingredients:
·2 TBS powdered sugar
·4 TBS smooth peanut butter

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375˚. Blend together the first 5 cookies ingredients in a food processor or blender. Mix with peanut butter and milk, form into cookie shapes – flattening slightly into circles – and place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 6 minutes. Remove from oven and let cookies finish baking on the stovetop.

For the filling, whisk together powdered sugar and peanut butter until light and airy, about 3 minutes. When cookies have cooled, turn 6 upside down. Divide filling equally between each cookie by placing a dollop of filling into the center of each upside down cookie. Place second cookie on top of filling and press together until filling just comes to the edges.

Makes 6 sandwich cookies.

Quesadilla Casserole (Crockpot)

I'm usually not a fan of crockpot recipes that require a lot of pre-cooking, but this one is so good that I'm okay with it! It's fairly simple to pre-cook the meat/sauce mixture and then the crockpot does the rest of the work. My husband and I love Mexican food, so we really liked this new way of preparing it. This dish is very flavorful and just spicy enough for our tastes.


Quesadilla Casserole (Crockpot)
Adapted from Crockin’ Girls

Ingredients:
·1 lb. ground chicken
·½ tsp each – salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder
·2 TBS chili powder
·1 TBS minced garlic
·1 tsp cumin
·½ tsp each – oregano, red pepper flakes
·1 medium onion, chopped
·½ bag frozen corn
·1 can Rotel
·1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
·1 cup salsa
·6 soft corn tortillas
·2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
Brown chicken, season with salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Drain. Add everything else except tortillas and cheese. Mix well and heat thoroughly. Spoon ¼ of mixture into bottom of crockpot. Place 2 tortillas on top. For the second layer, spoon ¼ mixture of mixture on top of tortillas, top with a large handful of cheese, and 2 more tortillas. Repeat for a third layer. Top with remaining meat mixture and cheese. Place lid on crockpot and heat on low for 3 hours.