Better-for-You Butter Chicken (SRC)

Posted in Chicken & Poultry, Gluten Free, Lunch, Main Dish, Refined Sugar Free by naturalnoshing

Wow, I’m not sure where to start…. except thanks goodness I made it on-time for the Secret Recipe Club this month!

What follows is a “Cliff Note” recap of my recent cooking saga: I fully prepared in advance for my recipe and post, almost a week and a half to be exact. You see, my dearest friend’s birthday is in October and I wanted to make her some homemade goodies for her special day. I was assigned Asiya’s beautiful blog, Chocolate and Chillie’s, and had carefully picked out her Maple Granola to try and send as a gift to my friend.

iPhone photo…the only photo I have left!

1. I made the two batches of granola (Maple Granola pictured on the left)
2. I decorated cute little jars and personalized them
3. Staged and took the photos of the granola
4. Shipped the gift (I ate the small remainder of both after photographing and filling the jars…meaning I have no leftovers!)
5. Uploaded the photos….OOPS…I received an ERROR CODE when trying to upload and all of a sudden they were erased from my camera completely. This has never happened before so I was left with no photos to post and no more granola to re-shoot.
6. Freak out mode sets in…ahhhh I dont have photos for the Secret Recipe Club post in two days!
7. Quickly find another recipe that I can whip up with ingredients I had on hand—BUTTER CHICKEN, take photos and write up a new posting
8. Breathe, relax….I made it!

With very little time to spare, I wound up making Asiya’s Low-fat Butter Chicken and it was scrumptious! I decided to experiment with a dairy-free option and changed up a few things based on what I had in my pantry and fridge. I increased the amount of ginger-garlic paste, used dried ground fenugreek seeds in place of the kasuri methi, and swapped out coconut sugar for regular white sugar. I typically use coconut oil as my cooking oil (just my preference) but any neutral oil can be used in it’s place. I also opted to add in a squeeze of lemon juice for a little more acidity, puree the sauce and sprinkle the finishing product with coarsely ground black pepper, mmmm.

I’d say that having to make two recipes this month for the Secret Recipe Club turned out to be a win-win situation 🙂 I will be making this chicken again and again!

Better-for-You Butter Chicken (adapted from Asiya’s recipe)
Grain-free, Gluten-free, Dairy-free option, Soy-free, Refined Sugar-free, Nut-free option

Ingredients

For the Chicken Tikka:
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast (or 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts)
1 cup yogurt (can use plain dairy-free options such as coconut milk yogurt etc if needed)
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1/2 tsp salt or to taste
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tsp tandoori masala powder
1 tsp kasuri methi or 1/2 tsp ground dried fenugreek seeds
2 tbsp canola oil, coconut oil or other neutral oil

For the Butter Sauce:
2 tbsp coconut oil, canola oil or other neutral oil
one medium onion, thinly sliced
2 cups diced tomatoes
1 Tbsp almond flour (if needed to be nut-free, you can omit)
1 Tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp kasuri methi or 1/2 tsp dried ground fenugreek seeds
1/8 tsp sea salt or to taste
2 tsp coconut sugar or sweetener of choice
1/4 cup coconut milk, or greek yogurt or low-fat sour cream (use coconut milk for dairy-free)
1 tbsp butter, ghee, Earth Balance (use Earth Balance for dairy-free)
squeeze of lemon juice, optional but I like the acidity

Directions

For the Chicken Tikka:

1. In a small bowl mix together cumin, garam masala, salt, cayenne pepper, tandoori masala and fenugreek/kasuri methi. Rub on both sides of the chicken and refrigerate for at least 30-60 minutes.

2. Line a pan with parchment or foil. In a large bowl, whisk together yogurt, oil and ginger garlic paste. Dip each chicken breast into the yogurt mixture. Coat well. Lay on prepared pan.

3. Heat oven to broil and cookl 10-18 minutes or until cooked through (depending on thickness of chicken), flipping them over halfway through. When cooked through, let chicken rest for 5 minutes and then cut into 1 inch cubes.

For the Butter Sauce:
1. Heat the oil a medium sauté pan. Saute onions until soft and translucent. Add ginger-garlic paste and stir for about 1 minute.

2. Add all the remaining ingredients except for the coconut milk/ yogurt/sour cream and butter. Cook on medium heat until thick.

3. Puree sauce in a blender (careful it’s hot!) and return to the pan. If you prefer a more chunky sauce, opt out of this step.

4. Add yogurt.coconut milk/sour cream and butter/Earth Balance. Stir and cook for another 5 minutes. If you prefer a thinner sauce, add a bit more coconut milk if you would like to thin it out.

5. Add the chicken and simmer for a few more minutes until heated through. Serve hot with rice or cooked grain of choice and enjoy!

*Note: If you would like a smooth sauce, puree the onions after they become translucent and then return to the pan. Puree the tomatoes before adding.
For more recipes from this month’s reveal, click the link below!

3Jul2013

Dairy-Free Lemon Poppyseed Ice Cream with Grain-free Shortbread

Posted in Dessert, Refined Sugar Free, Vegan, Vegetarian by naturalnoshing

Summer is finally here and I am feeling the heat! You know what that means — light, fresh and fruity flavors are popping up in recipes around the blogosphere and in magazines like crazy!

I was delighted when the creative and trendy ladies of EDGE Marketing and Design approached me a couple months ago to come up with a “summery recipe” to be featured in their upcoming issue of their magazine. These women are not only spunky, stylish and creative, but they are beyond talented and know how to run a cutting-edge marketing business. They say “yep, we’re small. but we like to make a big difference.” Nicely stated!

I immediately started brainstorming a unique summer treat that would be worthy of making their fashionable publication. I knew I had to stick to my roots and feature a rockin’ gluten free recipe that wasn’t complicated or require strange ingredients.

Bam, it hit me. How about create a dairy-free ice cream recipe that plays off the flavors of the popular lemon poppyseed muffin? Unique yet approachable and oh-so-refreshing, this vegan ice cream will satisfy your sweet tooth but not weigh you down.

It’s free of refined sugars, gluten, dairy, eggs, nuts and soy. Eliminate the optional vodka (though it produces a more creamy end result), and you have a grain-free Paleo treat…and isn’t Paleo all food rage these days?

I also adapted my pie-crust to create a quick grain-free, dairy-free almond shortbread. Simple, easy and delicious. What’s not to like about ice cream and cookies? Dig in and enjoy the flavors of summer!

Dairy-Free Lemon Poppyseed Ice Cream
Gluten-free, Grain-free option, Vegan, Dairy-free, Nut-free, Soy-free, Quick

Ingredients

1 can of full-fat coconut milk
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (I used two medium lemons)
1/4 cup agave or your favorite neutral flavored liquid sweetener (honey or coconut nectar)
1 Tbsp gluten free vodka*, optional
pinch of stevia to taste or 1 more Tbsp of sweetener
zest from one lemon
1 Tbsp poppy seeds

lemon zest for serving
Grain-free Almond Shortbread cookies (recipe below), for serving

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk well until combine.
2. Let chill for 30 minutes to an hour.
3. Pour into your ice cream maker per your maker’s instructions. (I used a Cuisinart 1 1/2 quart ice cream maker and it took about 20 minutes to freeze down).
4. Serve immediately for a soft-serve version or pour into a freezer-safe container and let freeze until hardened. Scoop and enjoy!

Yields 4 cups

*This recipe was tested with Smironoff vodka, but Chopin and Blue Ice Vodka (make sure you buy the blue bottle as it’s potato based) can be used. The vodka allows for a creamier ice cream consistency but feel free to omit if desired.

Grain-Free Almond Shortbread Cookies
Gluten-free, Grain-free, Dairy-free option, Egg-free, Vegan, Quick

Ingredients

2 cups almond flour (I buy mine from nuts.com)
2-3 Tbsp coconut palm sugar or other granulated sweetener
1/8th tsp sea salt
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp butter, ghee, coconut oil or Earth Balance softened (use oil or Earth Balance for vegan and dairy-free)
2 Tbsp honey or agave (use agave for vegan)
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
optional add-in: 1 tsp poppyseeds

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with a silpat mat or parchment paper and set side.
2. In a small bowl, combine dry ingredients until combined. Add wet ingredients and stir until a thick dough forms.
3. Refrigerate dough for 20-30 minutes until chilled.
4. Line your counter with parchment paper and place ball of dough. Roll out to 1/2 inch thickness and cut into rectangles (or roll into a log and cut into slices).
5. Transfer carefully using a spatula to baking sheet and bake cookies for 8-10 minutes. Remove cookies from oven and let cool completely before moving as they are fragile when warm. Enjoy!

Yields 15-16 cookies

27May2013

Gooey Chocolate Hazelnut Cakes with Fresh Raspberry Coulis

Posted in Dessert, Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free, Vegetarian by naturalnoshing

It’s official…I reached chocolate heaven. A tender crust with a luscious and velvety chocolate center… talk about melting in your mouth!!!

Are you drooling yet? 🙂

For this month’s Secret Recipe Club assignment, I adapted this recipe from Susan’s Moist Chocolate Hazelnut Cake recipe over at Food.Baby.Life blog. I was in the mood for a chocolate dessert and this recipe did not disappoint! I wanted to add a fresh element to this unctuous dessert so I whipped up a 30 second (literally) fresh raspberry coulis. It complimented the richness of the chocolate perfectly!

This chocolate cake has a molten middle if you cook it partially (which I prefer)…more like a pudding, or keep it in for a minute or two longer for a less moist middle. I was always the one eating the leftover cake and brownie batters out of the mixing bowl, so I definitely prefer the molten center.

I made a few adaptations: I cut the recipe into thirds so it served two instead of six (because let’s be honest, I would have eaten all of the leftovers!). I also added hazelnut extract and vanilla extract in addition to instant coffee to enhance the chocolate hazelnut flavor. I chose to substitute coconut oil for the butter for a dairy free option and used I baked these beauties in 4 oz ramekins, bottoms lined with parchment, since I didn’t have the dariole molds. I also converted the ingredients measurements from weight (grams) to volume (cups/Tbsp/tsp) since that’s what I am most familiar with…though some weren’t exact, the result was scrumptious! .Apparently I need to invest in a scale 🙂 Another great part was that this wasn’t a complicated or lengthy recipe, which of course means I can make it more often right?

Gooey Chocolate Hazelnut Cakes with Fresh Raspberry Coulis (adapted from Food.Baby.Life)
Grain-free, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Soy-Free, Refined-Sugar Free Option

Ingredients

1.5 oz dark chocolate (or unsweetened* see note), chopped
3 Tbsp coconut oil (or butter or ghee) + more for greasing
1/2 rounded tsp gluten-free instant coffee (I used Nescafe decaf)
1 large egg
2 Tbsp granulated sweetener of choice**
1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp hazelnut extract
pinch of pure stevia to taste
small dash of salt (optional but the salt enhances the flavor)
2 Tbsp hazelnut flour (can substitute almond flour for less hazelnut flavor)
cocoa powder for dusting

Fresh Raspberry Coulis, for serving (see recipe below)
Fresh raspberries for serving

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F/180 C. Grease the inside of 2 (4-ounce) ramekins very well with coconut oil. Dust with cocoa powder. Cut two small circles of parchment paper the size of the bottom of the ramekins and line bottoms (I highly recommend this, otherwise they can stick since they are fragile).

2. In a double broiler or in a small bowl over a pan of simmering water, melt the chocolate, coconut oil and coffee. Stir frequently and make sure the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl.

3. In a small mixing bowl, whisk egg, sweetener, salt and extracts with an electric mixer for several minutes or until light, pale and foamy. Slowly fold the melted chocolate mixture into the egg mixture, stirring constantly. Stir in hazelnut flour/meal until well combined.

4. Spoon evenly into the prepared ramekins, place on a baking tray and bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 1-2 minutes, before inverting onto serving plates (be careful the ramekins are hot!). Drizzle with raspberry coulis and serve with fresh raspberries. Best served when warm!

Serves 2

*If using unsweetened chocolate, increase the sweetener by 2 tbsp or to taste.
**If using coconut/palm sugar or another coarse sweetener , measure the amount first and pulse in a blender to make a finer grain. I haven’t tried this cake with a liquid sweetener so if anyone tries it, please let me know how it turns out…you may need to decrease the heat and cook for a bit longer.

Quick Raspberry Coulis
Gluten-free, Dairy-Free, Vegan, Quick/Easy, No-Bake, Grain-free, Refined Sugar Free

Ingredients

1 (6oz) container of fresh raspberries (could also use your favorite berry for a different flavor)
1-2 Tbsp coconut nectar, agave or honey (use more or less depending on how sweet you prefer your coulis)
juice from 1/2 fresh lime or 1/2 medium lemon (about 1 1/2 Tbsp juice)

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. You can strain through a fine mesh strainer if you don’t like the a few seeds, but I didn’t feel it was necessary.

For other recipes in this month’s posting, click here.

16Apr2013

Soft Banana Bread Cookies (Vegan, Grain-free)

Posted in Dessert, Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free, Sides and Snacks, Vegan by naturalnoshing

I love buying a large bunch of bananas. I only eat but one or two in its fresh form, so when they reach the “ugly” stage and are a little too mushy and sweet for eating, I have a good excuse to bake.

Not only are these soft, cake-like cookies grain-free and vegan, they are sweetened only with fruit — you guessed it, bananas! Instead of baking an entire loaf of banana bread, I opted for built-in portion control in the form on cookies 🙂 Soft, muffin-like cookies that are reminiscent of the popular quick bread most of know and love. I added chopped walnuts and a handful of golden raisins for some texture, but feel free to swap out your favorite add-ins such as chocolate chips, pecans, dried cherries or even chopped candied ginger for a different twist.

With a short list of ingredients and a snap to prepare, you can feel good about these treats…and even eat them for breakfast 🙂

Soft Banana Bread Cookies (Vegan, Grain-free)
Gluten-free, Vegan, Egg-free, Dairy-free, Peanut-free, Grain-free, Quick

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups almond flour or almond meal
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon (can add a pinch of other spices like nutmeg for a different twist too!)
1/4 -1/2 tsp sea salt
2 ripe large bananas or 3 small, mashed
1/4 cup creamy almond butter (or other nut butter)
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1/4 raisins (I used golden raisins) or other dried fruit or mini chocolate chips/cacao nibs, optional

Directions

1. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients (almond flour through salt)>
3. In a separate bowl, mash together the banana, nut butter and vanilla.
4. Stir in dry ingredients until a dough forms.
5. Using a tablespoon (I oiled mine so the batter didn’t stick), scoop dough into rounded tablespoons on prepared baking sheet (or oil your hands well and rolls into balls if preferred but the dough is sticky!).
6. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until cookies are lightly golden brown on top. Remove from oven and let cool completely (be patient) before removing from baking sheet, otherwise they will fall apart 🙂 Enjoy!

Yields 28-30 cookies