Cheesy Quinoa Patties with avocado dip

I happened across this recipe for cheesy quinoa patties on Spoon Fork Bacon. I gave them a try yesterday, and they were a HIT with the Bucko, he ate almost the whole batch! If you use a gf flour, and a dairy free cheese, it's a perfect, quick meal or side dish. I tweaked it a little, using a dash of hickory salt, fresh cracked lemon pepper, and a few tablespoons (probably 1-2) of diced bacon. I also made a different "dip" for them, avocado yogurt. Ingredients: 2 cups cooked quinoa 2/3 cup grated fontina cheese (or cheese of your choice) 3 tablespoons all purpose flour (gluten free) 2 green onions, thinly sliced 1 egg, lightly beaten 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper 2 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil salt to taste aioli: ½ cup light mayonnaise 1 head of garlic, roasted 1 lemon, zested and juiced ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper salt and pepper to taste Directions: 1. For the cakes: Place all ingredients, except for the oil, into a mixing bowl and stir together until well combined. Season with salt and allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes. 2. Pour oil into a large sauté pan and place over medium heat. 3. Form ¼ cup patties with the quinoa mixture and place in the heated sauté pan. (this will have to be done in batches) 4. Cook quinoa cakes for about 5 minutes on each side. Repeat with the remaining patties until all of the cakes have been cooked. Set aside. 5. For the aioli: Place all ingredients into a food processor, season with salt and pepper and blend until smooth. Pour into a small bowl and serve alongside the warm quinoa cakes. For the alternate avocado yogurt dip- One ripe avocado 1/4-1/3c Greek (or non-dairy) yogurt, PLAIN One lime Mash avocado with freshly squeezed lime juice, mix in yogurt. Season to taste with a pinch of salt and some fresh cracked pepper.

Easy brown "Mexican" Rice

I'm back!! And I have a quick, simple side dish to go with skillet fajitas (or any Mexican dinner) 1c organic brown rice (long or short, whatever your preference) 1 1/4c chicken stock 1 can Rotel (Mexican diced tomatoes, I used cilantro and lime to cut the heat, if you like it hot, use regular or hot Rotel) Dump everything in a 2.5qt pot with lid. Cook according to these directions (thanks to Steve Pavlina's blog). When rice is done, before you fluff it, squeeze the juice of one lime over it, sprinkle in cumin to taste (I probably used about 1/4-1/2 teaspoon, and stir in. TADA! Simple version of Mexican rice that is quick and easy for when you need something in a pinch.

Balsamic Chicken

Here's another CrockPot easy fix it and forget it meal. Great with a side of rice/quinoa, or gluten free pasta, and topped with "pan gravy" from the drippings.
I got this one from the Discussion board at The Skinny CrockPot

Balsamic Chicken
4-6 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
2 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 onion thinly sliced (Not chopped)
4 garlic cloves
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tblsp olive oil
1 tsp each: dried oregano,basil, and rosemary
1/2 tsp thyme
ground black pepper and salt to taste

Preparation:

Pour the olive oil on bottom of crock pot
place in chicken breasts, salt and pepper each breast
put sliced onion on top of chicken
then put in all the dried herbs and garlic cloves
pour in vinegar and top with tomatoes

Cook on high 4 hours.

Pan gravy
2c liquid from CrockPot
1/4c water
2T potato starch
Put the liquids into a skillet, heat on high until it reduces a little. Mix the water an potato starch, and whisk into the liquid. Take heat down to medium/low, and continue stirring until mixture thickens.

Cubano-ish Pork and Black Beans

Found this super easy crock pot meal, and it's insanely easy and delicious.

Pork and Black Beans

2 cans black beans, rinsed well
1 jar salsa or 1 can diced tomatoes
2.25 lb pork tenderloin roast
salt and pepper to taste
garlic
1 medium finely chopped onion

Salt and pepper roast to taste (I also added a lil cumin)
Insert small pieces of peeled garlic throughout the roast.
Brown roast in cooking spray or 1 TBSP of olive oil (I did it in a nearly dry pan, just drizzle a little oil and smear with a paper towel.)
Add beans, tomatoes/salsa, pork and onion to crock pot.
Cook on low for 8 hours.

Mine was done in closer to 6, and it was SO GOOD. The pork loin turns into pulled pork, great for tacos!
We served this with a bed of brown rice.

Ok, so *now* I'm back

Yay! It's me again!
No time to update really, but I has new recipe!

Sausage Muffins w.GFCF white gravy


Muffins
1c cooked sausage
2c self rising flour *
1/4c oil
2 eggs
1c milk
(optional for those not on the diet) 1/2c shredded Parmesan cheese

Pre-heat to 400.
Sift the flour, sausage (and optional cheese).
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, pour in wet, and stir JUST until moist.
Fill muffin tins 2/3 of the way full, bake for 15-18mins.

GFCF white gravy
1 1/2c milk
2T starch (corn, arrowroot, or potato)
1/2t salt
1/4t pepper (or to taste)

Heat 1c milk on med-low heat.
Mix starch and remaining 1/2c milk.
Heat milk up to a simmer, DO NOT boil! Add starch mix to simmering milk.
Simmer for one minute, then remove from heat. Gravy will thicken upon standing.

**Notes**
If you don't have self-rising flour, just add 1.5t baking powder and 1/2t salt per cup of flour.
DO NOT use vanilla flavored milk or you will end up with extremely sweet gravy.

I'm back

Wow, it's been a while...I'm going to start updating again, things have been hectic with 2 moves in a year.
I have new recipes!
So hopefully tomorrow...

Tasty Turkey Loaf & Fried Summer Squash

So tonight I went with a good ole standby-turkey loaf, and added a new side-fried summer squash. We never do deep-fried anymore, but since yellow squash is in season I've really been wanting some fried squash.
Again-fair warning- I don't measure my seasonings, I just add until it looks like a good amount.

Turkey Loaf
1lb ground turkey
1 package Pictsweet Seasoning Blend
2Tbs flax meal
1/4c chopped pecans (optional)
Organic baby food sweet peas (small container)
GFCF bread crumbs
Seasonings
Slap Ya Mamma (or any other Cajun seasoning)
sage
chili pepper
mint
sea salt
cumin
corriander
*you can leave out any spice*

Heat oven to 375.
Cook the PictSweet acccording to package directions. Use about 1/4c Seasoning Blend in the loaf. Mix all other ingredients together. I just keep adding bread crumbs until the meat stays together well. Form into a loaf-plop that baby into a baking pan and form into a loaf. Arrange the remainder of seasoning blend around the loaf. Cook for about 30min or until outside is brown, then pour some Sneaky Spaghetti Sauce over the top, cook another 15-30min or until done.
This makes a dryer meatloaf which we really like-and if you actually have left overs, makes great sandwiches.
*Veggie Spaghetti Sauce. Looks deceptively like the regular stuff. I use 1/2c organic spaghetti sauce and add a Stage2 size baby food jar of organic veggies (today was carrots), mix it well and use instead of regular spaghetti sauce. It's a good way to sneak in veggies, as long as your kids don't have colour issues (peas and green beans make the sauce brownish)m, but if so, just mix in a little less.*


Fried Summer Squish
1 or 2 yellow summer squash (dh doesn't do squash, so one was enough here)
Bob's Red Mill All Purpose GF Flour
Slap Ya Mamma (cajun seasoning)
Brown sugar
1 egg (or milk sub if you're egg free)
-Oil to deep fry (I used Canola)

Put about 1/2c of Bob's Red Mill in a bowl, and add seasonings, and just a little bit of brown sugar.
Make an egg wash-crack the egg, add just a splash of water or milk sub, whisk it up.
Slice your squish like you would potato chips-only a little thicker. I used the "thick slice" option on my mandoline slicer.
Dip the sliced squash in the egg wash, then the flour mix. Fry until they float-drain on paper towels. Ds couldn't get enough of them.