Gluten Free Friday-Creamy Dill Salmon over Quinoa

I find myself buying salmon because I know it's healthy, but I never get excited to actually eat it. This recipe was made for me by a good friend (shout out to Jessica) and now I cannot wait to make it for my guests. It's easy, beautiful, and a great way to dress up boring salmon filets!!! Serves 2

Ingredients
2/3 lb salmon filet, skin removed and cut into four pieces
A hand full of dill, chopped
5 spring onions, finely chopped
3 tbps creme fraiche
1/2 cup dried quinoa, cooked


Put dill and onions on a plate and roll salmon in it
Place salmon in a pan over medium heat
Cook for 10-15 minutes
Meanwhile cook quinoa
Place quinoa on two plates
Cover with salmon
In a pan, heat remaining onions and dill over low heat along with creme fraiche
Stir until all creme fraiche has melted
Pour over salmon and enjoy!

Israeli CousCous and Chicken Curry Soup

 I was given a great cookbook for Christmas called 365 Days of Soup. It has great recipes for each day of the year based on the produce in season. I saw a recipe for Israeli couscous (bigger than normal couscous) with chicken and decided to try it with some twists. This soup is aromatic, easy, and tastes great. Serves 4

Ingredients
1 cup Israeli couscous
5 cups chicken broth
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cooked chicken breasts*, chopped
*from a rotisserie chicken or you can cook it yourself
2 cups baby spinach with stems removed
1 tsp tumeric powder, 1 tsp curry powder, 1/2 tsp cumin


In a pot, bring 1 1/4 cup water to a boil
Add 1 cup Israeli couscous and bring back to a boil
Once boiling, put heat to simmer and cover for 8-10 minutes
Until water is absorbed

Meanwhile, in a large pot heat oil on medium
Add onions and garlic, cooking for 5 minutes
Add spices and stir for 2 minutes
Pour in broth and bring to a boil
Add chicken and couscous
Simmer for 10 minutes then add spinach

Eat up!

Easy Peppermint Fudge

It's the holiday season, so it's time for some yummy festive recipes! This one is a new twist on an old fudge recipe from last year. The recipe is easy, gluten-free, has few ingredients, and will make your taste testers impressed! I made this for coworkers as a treat before break!

Makes about 30 pieces

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips)

1 can 14oz sweetened condensed milk

2 tbsp butter (a little extra to line pans)

1 large candy cane, crushed in a ziplock bag

In a pot, boil about an inch thick of water on low heat

Place a glass bowl on top. This will allow the steam to melt the fudge

Add butter, milk and chocolate

Stir and fold for about 10 minutes

Make sure the heat is on low or the fudge will burn

It will take a little while, but keep folding until all chocolate is melted

Meanwhile, line two 8x8 square pans with butter and place parchment paper in it

Pour fudge evenly and top with the crushed candy canes

Place in the fridge for 2 hours

Pull out the paper and cut pieces into whatever shape, size, or design you'd like!

Keep refrigerated until you decide to eat it. Enjoy!

Bird Seed Veggie Dip

This week I had a preK meeting and someone brought a "dip" that put ranch to shame! It's easy, yummy, and something I never would have put together myself. I decided to add garlic to the original recipe, but it tastes great without it as well. It's like an everything bagel minus the bread and plus the healthy veggies. Just check your teeth after eating to make sure no seeds are stuck in them!
Enjoy and please pray for the families in CT. I cannot imagine something so horrible happening to my kiddos and my school.  

Ingredients
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup black sesame seeds
1 tbsp poppy seeds
1 tsp kosher sea salt (the chunky kind)
1 tsp dried garlic

veggies

Combine first three ingredients and pour into a pan
Heat a pan on medium and stir for about 5 minutes
Allow to cool
Add salt and garlic

It's that simple!

Mac and Cheese Bites

These little bites pack a punch and are a perfect way to portion control yourself! I made these for our Friendsgiving and they were gone within 30 minutes. They're easy to make, take 10 minutes to cook, and look amazing. Enjoy!  Makes 24

Ingredients
3/4 cup dry macaroni noodles, cooked and drained
2.5 cups shredded cheese
-1 cup jack cheese
-1 cup extra sharp cheddar
-1/2 cup mozzarella
1/4 cup greek yogurt + 2 tbsp
1/4 cup milk
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 egg
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup butter crackers, crumbled

Preheat oven to 350F
Spray a 12 tin, mini muffin pan with cooking spray
Combine cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup cheese mixture and 2 tbsp greek yogurt
Pack into the bottom of tins evenly
Combine cheese, butter, milk, yogurt, egg, and noodles

Place in tins over the cracker mixture

Push down gently
Bake for 10-12 minutes
Remove with a spoon and allow to cool

Short Rib Pasta

While being "hurricaned in" (note: Charlottesville over reacted just a little bit by giving us two days off) I have been cooking up a storm! I have been ordering short ribs a lot lately at one of my new favorite restaurants in Cville. I decided it was time to make them myself. I have seen short ribs served over mashed potatoes or in a stew, but I wanted to try them over pasta. (To make this recipe gluten free- serve with mashed potatoes or with gluten-free pasta). This was my first time making this dish and it was super easy! Serves 2

Ingredients

2 lb beef short ribs, bone removed (called a jersey cut, feel free to do this bone in)
3 tbsp rub spices*
*equal parts paprika, salt, pepper, sugar, basil, marjoram, thyme, and rosemary
1 cup mushrooms
1/2 cup frozen pearled onions, thawed
2 cup red wine
13/4 cup water
3/4 cup beef broth
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp sour cream
1/4 cup chopped parsley
pasta

Preheat oven to 325F
Rub both sides of beef with spices
In a dutch oven, heat on medium 1 tbsp olive oil
Braise the beef by browning on each side for about 3 minutes
remove with tongs
Pour out all but about 3 tbsp liquid
Add onions and mushrooms
Stir with a fork scraping the bottom
Add garlic and stir for one minute
Add 1/2 cup wine and allow to reduce to about 2 tbsp
Place beef back in the pot
Add broth, water, and remaining wine
Bring to a simmer
Cover and place in the oven for 2-2.5 hours
Flip beef over every 40 minutes with tongs

Meanwhile cook pasta

When beef is tender (falls off the fork), take the dutch oven out and remove the meat
Shred it and place it ontop of the pasta
Add 1 tbsp sour cream to the liquid
Stir and pour over the pasta
Sprinkle with parsley

Enjoy

Gluten Free Friday-Curry Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut squash is in abundance at the grocery store this time of year, therefore it's time for a butternut squash soup. I like to add cumin and curry to this soup to give it a little kick instead of adding cream. This recipe is healthy, easy, requires few ingredients, and gluten free! It tastes great as a side to a nice fall dinner or alone with a big hunk of bread. Serves 6

Ingredients

1.5 lb butternut squash, cut into similar sized chunks (I bought the squash precut)

2 cups organic gluten-free vegetable broth

1 small yellow onion, diced

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp cumin

1 tbsp curry powder

salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot combine 1 tbsp oil and onions over medium heat

Cover and stir occasionally until onions are soft

Add squash and remaining oil

Stir for about 2 minutes

Sprinkle with salt and pepper

Add broth and simmer for 15 minutes

Once squash is tender remove from heat

Allow to cool a little and puree with a hand blender or pour into a larger blender

Place back into the pot and simmer for 10 more minutes

Enjoy!