Oven Roasted Salmon with Butter and Lemon

Today's recipe is another salmon one I found on the internet. It was quick, easy and delicious! I really liked the lemon flavor, and the salmon was super moist.  (Recipe adapted from here)

Ingredients

• Two lemons, cut into thin slices
• 2 tbsp of butter, cut into thin slices
• 1-1.5 lbs of salmon (skinless and boneless)

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
• Unroll about 2ft of aluminum foil, and lay on an ovenproof baking dish
• Cut lemon into thin slices and make a bed for the salmon to lay on in the  middle of the aluminum foil
• Place butter slices over the top of the salmon
• Fold edges of the aluminum foil up and over the salmon to form a little foil packet
• Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until salmon is opaque in the middle. 

Chopped Brussels Sprout Salad with Chicken and Nuts

This recipe from PinnchofYum is sooooo good! I honestly made it twice in a row the week I discovered it. I've made a few adaptations along the way that I think make it even better, but the recipe is quite fantastic in its original form. It makes for great leftovers, and I honestly can't decide whether I like it better warm or cold.  (Adapted from here)

Ingredients

• 1 cup cooked chicken, cubed or shredded
• 4 cups sliced brussels sprouts (for me it was about 20. I highly recommend using a mandoline/microplane for this!)
• 1/2 cup mixed nuts
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
  
  
• 1 tablespoon butter
• juice of 1 orange (I sometimes use 1 tablespoon of frozen orange juice concentrate for an even zestier dressing)
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

• For the salad:Shred the chicken and brussels sprouts. In a food processor, pulse the nuts a few times until chopped.Note: Shredding the chicken in the food processor is a quick and easy way to get it done.
• For the dressing: In the small skillet, saute the butter, onion and garlic over medium high heat until the onions are golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer the onions to a food processor. Add the orange juice, honey, red wine vinegar, lemon juice and olive oil. Puree until smooth and creamy. Season generously with salt and pepper.
• Place the Brussels sprouts in the empty sauteed onion pan and place over high heat. Stir for 1-2 minutes until you can smell them and they turn bright green. Remove from heat. In a large bowl, toss the the Brussels sprouts, walnuts, dried cranberries, chicken, and Parmesan.
• Toss the dressing and salad together. Serve warm or cold.

 (Photo from PinchOfYum)

Baked Turkey Meatballs

I never used to be a meatball kinda person, but these have changed my mind. They take a little bit of work to prep but they are sooo worth it in the end. They taste FANTASTIC and are a great way to spice up the boring old spaghetti routine. JoyTheBaker never lets me down! For a gluten free version, I'm thinking about substituting rice or quinoa for the bread chunks.  (Adapted from here)

Ingredients

• 3 slices italian or whole wheat bread, torn into medium chunks (substitute 2 cups cooked rice or quinoa for a gluten free version)
• 1/3 cups milk (any % works, I've even used lactose free)
• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 - 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 - 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley (I used dried)
• 3 to 4 cups tomato-based pasta sauce (I like Prego best)

Directions

• Place racks in the center and upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a medium bowl, pour the milk over the bread crumbs.  Allow to soak for 5 minutes.
• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm the olive oil.  Add the onions and cook until softened and browned, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for one minute more.  Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
• Place the ground turkey in a large bowl.  Squeeze any excess milk from the bread.  Add the bread to the turkey and discard the milk.  Add the cooked onions and garlic.  Add the eggs, salt, red pepper flakes, oregano, cheese, tomato paste, and parsley.  Use a wooden spoon to work all of the ingredients together.  You may need to get in there with your hands to thoroughly and evenly combine all of the ingredients.
• In two 9×13-inch pans, spread about 2 cup of sauce (1 cup in each pan).  Shape together 24 meatballs.  Each meatball will be about 3 tablespoons of the meat mixture.  Use your hands to best shape the meatballs.  Rinse your hands in warm water every few meatballs to keep your hands from getting too sticky.  I found that having slightly damp hands helps tremendously in shaping the balls. Top each meatball with a small spoonful of sauce.
• Bake meatballs for 25 minutes, or until bubbling and cooked through.  Remove from the oven and serve with pasta, or just with sauce and a hearty green salad.  Meatballs will last up to 4 days well wrapped in the refrigerator. 

Test Kitchen - Earl Grey and Vanilla Chai Cupcakes (Gluten Free!)

These cupcakes were delicious!!!! If I hadn't made them myself I would never have believed they were gluten free. Plus, they were insanely easy to whip up. I didn't even bother to frost them they were that good! I'm sure they would be just as good with all Earl Grey or all Chai tea, but I happen to like the combination of the two so that's what  I went with.

Earl Grey and Vanilla Chai Cupcakes (Gluten Free)
This recipe makes 12 regular sized cupcakes. 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Hot milk (I used 1% lactose free milk)
• 2 Earl Grey tea bags
• 2 Vanilla Chai tea bags
• 1 1/2 cups gluten free flour
• 1 teaspoon xantham gum
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 6 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 egg whites, 1 yolk
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Directions

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F
• Heat milk and add tea bags (I microwaved it for 1 minute). Let steep while preparing rest of the ingredients. 
• Whisk all the dry ingredients together. 
• Add liquids and stir till mixed. 
• Scoop into greased or lined muffin tin.
• Bake for 18-20 minutes, until golden brown and no longer jiggly.

Test Kitchen - Soy Marinated Flank Steak

Today's recipe was really easy to make gluten free, all it took was swapping out the soy sauce for tamari (gluten free soy sauce).  The flavor was really good, almost beef jerky-like, and I broiled it instead of grilling it. I served it with white rice and roasted corn. Delish!

Soy Marinated Flank Steak 
(adapted from here)

Ingredients

• 1 cup tamari or soy sauce
• 1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1 flank steak (about 1-2 pounds)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions 

• In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, whisk together soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire, mustard, red-pepper flakes, and pepper. Place steak in dish and cover dish tightly with plastic wrap. Swirl dish so that marinade coats the top of steak. Refrigerate 1 hour - overnight, turning steak occasionally. 
• Turn on broiler. Pour excess marinade into a saucepan. Then place steak 2-3 inches away from heat. Broil for 10-15 minutes, turning steak halfway through.
• Meanwhile, simmer excess marinade over medium-high heat until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. 
• Let meat rest 5 minutes, then cut across the grain at a slight diagonal to serve. 

Test Kitchen - Steak Fajitas with Fresh Lime

I found this recipe in Bon Appetit a long time ago and completely forgot I had it. It was pretty easy to make gluten free and FODMAP friendly, while still keeping all of the flavor. I substituted corn tortillas for regular tortillas and omitted the guacamole and salsa for myself (I still made some for my sister). I also went ahead and made the onions so that she could have them and even though I didn't eat any myself, word on the streets is, they were delicious. I chose to broil my meat, but I'm sure it would be just as tasty grilled or done in a pan the way the original recipe suggests.

Steak Fajitas with Fresh Lime
(adapted from here)

Ingredients

• 1 flank steak, halved
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 4 limes for me)
• 1 large onion, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced
• 4 large garlic cloves, pressed (or garlic salt if FODMAP friendly)
• 2 tablespoons sriracha
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Corn or Flour tortillas
• Optional Toppings:
• Lettuce
• Salsa
• Guacamole
• Greek Yogurt (or Sour Cream)
• Mexican Cheese Blend
• White rice

Directions 

• Arrange steaks in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish; sprinkle with salt (or garlic salt, if using) and pepper. Combine lime juice, onions, garlic (if using), sriracha and olive oil in medium bowl. Pour mixture over steaks; turn to coat evenly. Let marinate 10 minutes - over night.
• When ready, place steaks and onion mixture into an oven proof baking dish ~2-3 inches away from the heat source. Broil for 12-18 minutes for medium/medium rare.   Cook steaks 1 minute per side. Add tomatoes and basil. Continue cooking steaks to desired doneness. 
• Transfer steaks to work surface and let cool for 5 minutes. Cut across the grain at a slight diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick strips. Transfer steak to bowl a cover with a dash more lime juice. Serve with tortillas and toppings of your choice.

Test Kitchen - Oven Roasted Potatoes

This side is as easy as it is delicious. I made it to go with my leftover Quinoa and Veggie Stuffed Peppers and its a great weekday staple.

Oven Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients

• 1 bag mini potato medley
• Garlic Salt
• Italian Seasoning Blend (Marjoram, Thyme, Rosemary, Savory, Sage, Oregano, and Basil)
• Olive Oil

 Directions

•  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
• Cut potatoes into bite sized pieces and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with a generous helping of garlic salt and Italian seasoning blend. I use about 2 - 2 1/2 Tbsp of each.
• Roast for 35-45 minutes, or until golden brown. Stir ~3/4 of the way through to ensure browning on all sides.

Test Kitchen - Quinoa and Vegetable Stuffed Peppers

I love these quinoa stuffed bell peppers! I make them all the time and they are so easy to customize. Since being put on this FODMAP diet I can no longer eat beans or eggplant, but they're still just as tasty without them. The leftover stuffing makes a great lunch all by itself, so I like to make extra whenever I make these. The recipe is vegetarian by default, but I decided to try adding some sliced salami (GF of course!) this time for some extra protein. It wasn't bad!

Quinoa and Vegetable Stuffed Peppers
(Original Recipe here and short how-to video here)

 Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa 
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock (Gluten Free!)
• 3 large bell peppers, mixed colors, seeded and tops removed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced (I use ~1 tsp garlic salt and then omit the salt)
• 1 red onion, chopped (I use1 tsp onion powder)
• 1 small to medium firm zucchini, seeded and chopped
• 1 small to medium yellow squash, chopped
• 1 cup corn (I like to roast it first)
• 1/2 package salami (gluten free), sliced
• Parmesan cheese
• Optional: 1 Cup Black Beans, Eggplant, Cherry tomatoes, Peas

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Drizzle the bell pepper halves with olive oil and season both sides with salt and pepper. Roast cut-side down until the skins begin to char and the peppers are just tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool to room temp, then arrange in a baking dish cut-side up. 
• Meanwhile, bring the quinoa and stock to a boil. Cover and simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the grain looks translucent, 15 to 20 minutes. Then fluff with a fork.
• While quinoa and bell peppers are cooking, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic/garlic salt, onion/onion powder and roasted corn, zucchini, squash, and salami. Saute until everything is tender and golden brown, ~10 to 12 minutes. Combine with the quinoa when done.
• Once bell peppers are cooled enough to handle, fill each pepper with the quinoa and vegetable stuffing and cover with a layer of Parmesan cheese. 
• Reduce oven heat to 375 degree F and cook until the cheese is golden brown. 
• Note: This recipe is a great make ahead meal. You can stuff the peppers and then refrigerate them for up to two days. Then pop them in the oven at 375 F when ready to cook. 

Test Kitchen - Gluten Free Banana Bread (Take 1)

First of all, I'm only three days in to being gluten free fructan free and I feel amazing! My mood is ten thousand times better and my stomach discomfort is almost completely gone. I'm. sold. SOOO, I decided to visit the local Whole Foods and pick up some gluten free flour and some of this magical xantham gum I keep reading about and give it a try. It just so happened I had a bunch of almost-spoiled bananas and I figured gluten free banana bread was as good a place as any to start. The label on the GF flour made it sound like it could be used as a perfect substitute for regular flour as long as you added the right amount of xantham gum so I didn't bother to find a GF recipe, I just used a regular banana bread recipe and then subbed in the GF flour and xantham gum. The results were....interesting. For my first try I didn't expect much and honestly, I could have tried harder but I was feeling so lazy and just wanted to stuff it in my face already! The taste was pretty ok, not too sweet not too banana-y, but the texture was waaay off. Like....way off. I somehow created a banana flavored bread pudding cake...thing. My sister didn't seem to care, and devoured half the loaf for a late night snack but I don't think I would ever make it again without first fiddling with the GF substitution a bit more. I was personally hoping for a much more bread-like texture and I think the problem might have been too much xantham gum. I'm going to post the recipe as I made it in case my sister ever asks for it again (the flavor really was quite good!), but I wouldn't really recommend it to any of you reading this as is. I'll update it as I fiddle with it, hopefully I can come up with the perfect substitution ratio.

Gluten Free Banana Bread
(original non GF recipe here)

Ingredients 

• 2 Cups Gluten Free Flour
• 1 Tbsp Xantham Gum (I would try 2 tsp next time)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 Cup butter (room temp) 
• 3/4 Cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract
• 2 1/3 cup mashed over-ripe bananas (I used 4)

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
• In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs, vanilla and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.
Note: For the recipe as is, it came out of the oven looking much fluffier and bread like and then deflated rather rapidly into the bread pudding you see here. 

Test Kitchen - Maple Dijon Chicken

This is a recipe I've made multiple times and love. Its so easy and always tastes great! Plus I love dishes that I can throw in the oven and forget about, leaving my hands free to make sides dishes. I come from one of those families that only ate chicken breasts, so I substitute breasts for the thighs. I've also tried it with turkey breasts and it was just as tasty. The clean up on this one is a little difficult since the marinade really sticks to the baking dish, but I promise its worth it. I think this recipe is also slightly better when you marinate the meat overnight, but I've made it plenty of times without it and it still delicious. Note: It does have a very strong mustard taste from all the dijon, so if that's not your thing this recipe probably isn't for you.

Maple Dijon Chicken
(I first found this recipe here)

Ingredients

• Chicken breasts-1-1.5 pounds
• Dijon mustard- 1/2 cup
• Maple syrup- 1/4 cup
• Rice/rice wine vinegar- 1 tablespoon
• Fresh rosemary
• Salt and pepper

Directions

• Mix together dijon mustard, maple syrup and rice wine vinegar.  
• Salt and Pepper meat, then cover with marinade mixture and let sit for anywhere from 30 minutes to 24 hours in the fridge.
• When ready, preheat oven to 450 F. 
• Place meat in an ovenproof baking dish. Make sure meat is completely coated in sauce on all sides before placing in the oven.
• Cook meat for 35-45 minutes depending on the size of your thighs/breasts, or until a meat thermometer reads 165. I recommended basting the meat with more sauce halfway through.
• Optional: I like to broil the meat for the last 5-7 minutes to get that extra nice golden brown exterior, but this will make the pan harder to clean up later. 
• Let sit for 5 minutes after removing from oven and sprinkle with fresh rosemary for garnish.