This is a nice little dairy-free use of enchilada sauce. Would work well in a burrito.
A couple notes: I was wanting a little more fat with mine – the addition of a little butter before baking would work, and if you eat cheese – that would work as well.
Also watch your chicken. Mine turned out a touch rubbery – I may go for pre-sliced chicken strips next time.
Enchilada Chicken & Rice Bake
Gluten-free
1 small onion
1 Tbsp. neutral oil
1 cup long grain brown rice
1 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 bell peppers
1 jar enchilada sauce (375g)
3-4 chicken thighs
Optional: Avocado, cilantro, scallions, cheese
Slice the onion thinly and add to a large pan with 1 Tbsp. neutral oil over medium/medium-high heat. Sautée until beginning to soften.
Add the rice and toss until coated. Sautee until the rice smells nutty and is beginning to pop and brown a bit. Add to the bowl of a rice cooker or pot with 2 cups water, some salt and the spices. Cook how you cook brown rice.
While the rice is cooking, preheat the oven to 200C/375F and very lightly grease a casserole dish.
When the rice is done, add to the casserole. Thinly slice the peppers and arrange on top of the rice. Nestle the chicken on top. Top with enchilada sauce. Add a jar of water.
Cover tightly with tinfoil and bake 30 – 35 mins or until the chicken is cooked through.
This recipe as written, I realize, may not be accessible to anyone who does not share my love of grabbing interesting looking ingredients from the Asian aisle and chucking them in whatever looks good.
If you’re still curious to see what this tastes like and don’t share that predilection, an approximation can most likely be made by combining lemon juice, a hint of pomegranate molasses and a hint of rotel green chilis.
I served this plain for dinner (DH added rotisserie chicken to his), and with chili tuna for lunch the next day. Both plain and with some added tuna were good; if you want a little more nutrition with your dinner, broccoli would be great here. Maybe a bit of sesame seed for a little more fat.
gluten-free, paleo, vegetarian, vegan
Roasted Potatoes with Avocado Dill Sauce
Sauce:
1 stalk celery
1 Tbsp. Japanese Yuzu jalapeño sauce
1 Tbsp. Kewpie Yuzu no-oil dressing
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
2-3 Tbsp. tahini
2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1-2 Tbsp. water
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 clove garlic
1 Tbsp. oil of choice
Neutrally seasoned roasted potatoes (I roasted mine in a combo of garlic oil, salt and pepper until browned in a 220C oven ~35 mins)
Chop celery and garlic and add to a blender along with the rest of the sauce ingredients. Whiz. Taste for salt and acid, adding more if necessary. Add a little more water if it’s too thick for your liking. Mine was fine, but your mileage may vary.
Sauce serves 4 – 5; potatoes can adjust to accommodate that number or more
This recipe started off as a way to use up some fresh dill that wasn’t my favorite egg salad and somehow ended up morphing into a riff of an old Summer family favorite: seafood salad. Which I can’t believe I haven’t shared a recipe with y’all for yet. I c-r-a-v-e it every tomato season.
The original (to my family at least) salad included Krab, shrimp, hard boiled eggs & lots of mayo. Sometimes, depending upon which Aunt got a wild hair, chopped up bits of lettuce. Which is weird, but good.
Anyways. I gave myself an aversion to fake crab my first Summer out of high school (reminder, kids: check your expiration dates), so that was out. I swapped with flaked salmon but kept the shrimp in this version; I also sadly forgot the egg until I was eating trying to figure out what was missing. I was also wanting a little more mustard punch, so adjust yours as necessary.
And a note on seasoning: I happen to love this salad with way too much pepper and salt, because that’s how my family usually served it. This recipe includes a normal amount of each (depending on how HAM you go with the cracked pepper); I had to go back twice for more after the salad hit the fridge.
gluten-free, pescatarian, vegetarian and vegan with substitutions
Avocado Dill Pasta Salad
Dressing:
1 avocado (mine was small and I could have gone for more)
2 cloves garlic
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. water
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Salad:
4 – 6 cups pasta of choice (I used rice spirals)
15 cherry tomatoes
1 smallish cucumber (about 2/3 cup chopped)
1 smallish bell pepper (about 1 cup chopped)
2 – 4 stalks celery (about 3/4 cup chopped)
1/2 shallot, minced
2 scallions, chopped
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp. celery seed (if using celery salt instead, you may not need to salt the salad – taste, taste, taste)
Loads of fresh cracked black pepper
Salt
Shrimp (I used 13 medium), peeled, cooked & chopped (optional)
Krab, crab or salmon (also optional)
2 – 3 Tbsp. your favorite mayo (optional)
Start you pasta boiling according to package directions, taking care to salt the water. When almost done, chuck your shrimp in to cook. Drain and set aside.
Pull the shrimp and chop. Add to a large bowl.
Chop the cucumber, bell pepper, celery, scallion and parsley. Add to the big bowl.
Mince the shallot and add. Halve the tomatoes and add those too. Add the celery seed.
In a blender or food processor, blitz all dressing ingredients until smooth. If you want your dressing a little runny, add more water until desired consistency is reached. Mine turned out a bit thick, which I liked, but I ended up adding 2 – 3 Tbsp. Kewpie mayo to the salad to loosen it a bit.
Add the cooled-ish pasta and dressing to the bowl. Mix well to combine. Hit with a bunch of pepper. Taste. Add more salt, lemon juice or some mayo to finish off.
Stash in the fridge for a bit to chill and let the flavors get acquainted.
This is no exception to that rule. This salad is about as light as one would expect, but works well. I worried that the zucchini wouldn’t be great, but it was; even raw. The key here is to peel it into ribbons. I used my regular vegetable peeler. My ribbons weren’t even, but they were delicious.
So much so, I can’t really say this is more than a 1-person meal. I mean, sure, you can feed 2 if you want to throw a main in, but I managed to knock it out in a second helping at lunch.
If you can’t find the Kewpie dressing, a nice sesame would be good. So would my love pomegranate molasses. Balsamic would also work really well. Grapefruit would play nicely.
I had also meant to grab some good vegan Feta for this salad but forgot. It would be nice and would definitely help fill this out to more of a meal, but wasn’t necessary.
gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, paleo
Shaved Zucchini + Stone Fruit Salad
1 large zucchini, ribboned thinly
1/2 shallot, minced
1 plum, chopped
3Tbsp. Kewpie no-oil Yuzu dressing
1Tbsp. your favorite neutral oil
2Tbsp. smoked almonds, chopped
1.5tsp. fresh thyme
1/4c. fresh parsley, chopped
1/2tsp. red chili flakes
Ribbon the zucchini thinly and add to a large bowl.
I tossed any ribbons that were purely peel to the pups, and stopped when I hit all-seed strips. A bit is wasted here, but can be easily chopped and chucked in a pan for a quick little pop of veggie later in the week. I ended up using mine in a breakfast zucchini & fried egg rice with browned butter and snipped chives.
Mince the shallot, de-stem the thyme, and chop both the parsley and plum. Add to the bowl.
Add the red chili flakes, along with the dressing and oil. I’d start with 2 Tbsp. dressing, toss, and see if it needs more. Hit with a few grinds salt and pepper.
When it’s time to plate, add the chopped almonds and toss quickly so they don’t go soggy.
Serves 1 – 2 for lunch depending upon what all else you have going on
This lower-than-it-could be in carbs dish started life as the baby of a Japanese curry recipe and a ramen recipe and snowballed into a straight-up yummy pasta dish. I’m super bummed I only made enough to serve two; this was fantastic.
gluten-free, paleo, vegetarian, vegan
Roasted Pumpkin Miso Pasta
About a cup chopped pumpkin or butternut squash
2 tsp. white miso paste
Veggie or chicken stock
1/2 tsp. red chili flakes
Olive oil
1 Tbsp. + sesame oil
Curry powder
1 inch peeled fresh ginger, minced
2 scallions, minced
Sesame seeds
Soft egg (optional)
Togarishi (optional)
Kontjac noodles or sushi rice or ramen or udon or zoodles – all would be awesome, though I’ve only tried wide kontjac and rice
Preheat your oven to 200C/375F. Peel and chop the pumpkin into smallish pieces. Add to a prepared baking sheet, lash with oil, and sprinkle liberally with salt, pepper and curry powder. Toss. Bake about 40 minutes or until browned in spots and soft.
Let cool for a beat, and then add to a blender with the miso, red chili flakes, 2 tsp. oil, 1 Tbsp. curry powder, 1 Tbsp. sesame oil, and 1/2 a cup of stock. Blitz, adding more stock if needed to get smooth. I used about a cup in this stage.
In a saucepan or tall-ish sided skillet, add the minced ginger and the white + light green parts of the scallions with 2 tsp. garlic oil. Sauté until the onion is beginning to soften.
Add the blitzed pumpkin and another half cup or so of stock. Let simmer down to the consistency of a thick soup.
Add your drained and rinsed kontjac or whatever curry vehicle you’re feeling, toss, and let simmer a few minutes to combine.
Serve with an optional soft egg, the green parts of the scallions, a little drizzle of sesame oil, a sprinkle of sesame seeds, and some togarishi if you want another hit of spice.
Finally! I’ve been trying to make a silky, luxurious feeling Thai-style red curry for a minute and keep screwing something up. Either I don’t let it reduce long enough, or I drown the flavors some how – or I forget a key component like curry paste or coconut milk.
This go round, I forgot to pick up coconut milk. I swear my kitchen eats the stuff. I’ve lost like 3 cans of it in the last few months. But, with a last-minute grocery trip I was all ready to go. Whoo. I’m glad I was, too – this is a good one.
gluten-free, paleo, pescatarian
Thai-Style Red Curry
1 can coconut milk
Veggie, fish or chicken stock (1 of the empty coconut milk cans’ worth)
2 Tbsp. Thai red curry paste
2 tsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. fish sauce
2 Tbsp. soy sauce/coconut aminos
Zest and juice of 1 lime
2 stalks fresh lemongrass, peeled to reveal the soft center – mince 1 and whack the other with the back of your knife to release its flavors while cooking
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 scallion, thinly sliced
2 Thai red chilis (optional), minced
1.5 cups pumpkin or butternut squash, chopped
3/4 cup chopped okra
2 Tbsp. minced basil
Minced smoked salmon (optional)
Rice to serve
This is a simple slow-cooker dump meal. Prep all ingredients and dump into your cooker (minus the salmon, basil and green parts of the scallions). Cook however you would make a stew.
When complete, add to a saucepan and simmer until reduced a bit and silky. Serve over rice, topped with the green parts of the scallion and chopped basil.
This makes a nice little Summer dinner. It’s low fuss, can be eaten cold or room temperature, and dressed a bunch of different ways. As pasta salads can.
Gluten-free, pescatarian
Salmon Soba Salad
1 package soba noodles
2 salmon fillets
4 – 6 ounces watercress or microgreen
1/4 cup chives, snipped
1/2 cup scallions, sliced thin
Dressing
Juice of 1 lime
1 medium cucumber, sliced into thin ribbons or diced
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
2 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 Tbsp. soy sauce or coconut aminos
1 tsp. honey
1 tsp. sriracha
Marinade
2 tsp. gochujiang
2 tsp. honey
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. sesame oil
Combine the marinade ingredients. Marinate the fish 30 mins – an hour. Discard marinade and bake or sauté the fish until your desired done ness is reached. I pan sautéed mine until medium with nice and crispy skin. Do watch the fish; your marinade has honey in it so it is like to burn. Mine did a bit, but it was still delicious.
While your fish is working, whisk the dressing ingredients together in a large bowl.
Cook your soba according to package directions, drain and set aside, adding a scant sprinkle of sesame oil and tossing quickly to avoid the noodles sticking together while they sit and cool. If you want your salad cold, chill in the fridge.
Dice and mince the cucumber and herbs. Add to the bowl. Add the micro greens. Add the noodles. Toss to combine.
To serve, plate up a bowl of noodle salad, topped with thick batons of fish and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
This recipe sounds simple but omfg it’s like comfort in a bowl. If you’re thinking about skipping out on the browning stage for your chicken because you’re lazy: don’t. I often do (see previous excuse) and I’m beyond glad I didn’t for this recipe. It absolutely made the rice.
gluten-free, FODMAP friendly
Ginger Scallion Chicken
4 boneless chicken thighs
2 inches ginger, peeled
1 cup rice (I used sushi rice because that’s my family’s favorite)
2 cups water
2 Tbsp. soy sauce or coconut aminos
1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar, divided
1 tsp. salt + sprinkling salt
2 tsp. sugar
1/4 – 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
6 scallions
Black pepper
Fat of choice
Note: Other versions of this recipe call for onion and garlic; if you’re not FODMAPping, these would be lovely additions, I’m sure
Sprinkle your chicken with salt & pepper. Chuck into a pan over medium-high with a little fat (I used garlic oil) and cook until browned on both sides.
While the chicken is working, add the rice (wash if you wash rice; I can never be bothered and really liked the way it was kind of pasty in this dish – reminded me of a casserole), water, 1 tsp. salt, 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar, soy sauce, and the chunk of ginger.
Place the chicken and any pan drippings on top of the rice, hit the rice button and cook until done. If you’re not using a slow cooker with a rice function, cook rice however you cook rice with the chicken on top – the little bits of chicken fat and the juices from the meat run into the rice creating yummy goodness.
While the chicken and rice are going, chop the green onions (if you’re FODMAPping, green parts only) and add to a small bowl with the 1/4 cup of rice vinegar, sugar and red pepper flakes. Mash as best you can with a spoon – or, if you have one, mash in a mortar with a pestle. That would be great. Mine didn’t mush up as much as I wanted with a spoon but the onion still broke up enough to release some good flavor. Taste yours and if you want another tiny bit of sugar add that in. I was on the fence about adding more sugar to mine, but left it out because I like a nice acerbic bite.
To serve, fish the ginger chunk out of the chicken & rice and top with the scallion dressing. I mixed mine together for leftovers and that worked even better for subsequent meals.
This dressing, which was based on an everything dressing posted by one of the blogs I’ve been following long enough to be on its mailing list but whose name escapes me as I’m sitting down to type this up (maybe First Mess?) is fantastic and I could see it being equally as good on vegetarian as meat dishes (I served my salad with some simple seared salmon and it was delicious), and even great on salads. I would also stir this into some nice rice or orzo for a little quick saucy flavor boost. Yum.
gluten-free, paleo, pescatarian, vegetarian, could be made vegan, FODMAP friendly
Potato Salad with Damn Good Dressing
Salad
1/2 kg new potatoes (or other small variety that doesn’t turn to mush when boiled)
4 – 6 hard boiled eggs
2 big hands arugula
Dressing
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup water
2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
2 Tbsp. soy sauce or coconut aminos
1/5 tsp. flax seeds
1 tsp. sturdy brown mustard
2 tsp. lemon juice
3/4 cup neutral oil
1 big hand parsley
1/2 bunch chives
1.5 tsp. anchovy paste (you could swap for miso – what you’re after is umami)
Boil your potatoes 10 minutes or until fork-tender. Drain and quarter. Add to a large bowl.
Hard boil your eggs. Peel, quarter and add to the bowl.
Add the arugula.
In your blender or food processor, combine all dressing ingredients. Hit with some salt and pepper. Whiz until the herbs are chopped and the dressing is combined. Taste. Add more salt/pepper/lemon juice as necessary.
Pour about a cup over the still-warm potatoes. Toss to combine and let sit until you’re ready to serve.
I served my first round of this salad room temperature with nicely seared salmon. Subsequent servings have been heated in the microwave with a little dressing added and they’ve also been great. It’s even decent cold and I’m not a fan of cold cold potato salad.
Serves 4? 5? Depends what you’re doing with it. I got 2 dinners + 2 lunches out of it. And I have about 3/4 of a cup of dressing leftover for the rest of the week.
This dish feels like a return to my OG ‘everything in skillet; every dinner with a leafy green’ ways. And it was (almost) glorious. A note of caution: watch your salt levels. I wanted my finished dish a bit on the salty side and ended up veering into bad territory. Oops. Stock, as luck has it, still gets saltier as you cook it down – funny how those constant truths never change.
gluten-free, paleo, vegetarian & vegan as written, FODMAP friendly
Kale & Squash One-Skillet Meal, pictured here with added chicken thighs
Kale & Squash One-Skillet Meal
1 bunch chard, kale or other leafy green
2 cups chopped butternut or other squash variety (I had a big slice off of some sort of pumpkiny thing and it worked well)
Stock (I had FODMAP-friendly chicken stock; vegetable would also work well
Half a jar (1/3 cup when chopped) sun dried tomatoes
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
Zest of 1 lemon
Neutral oil
Salt & pepper
De-seed, peel and chop the squash. Wash and chop the chard. Chop the sun dried tomatoes. Zest the lemon.
Add a few good glugs of neutral oil to your largest skillet over medium-high heat. Add the squash and shallow fry until just beginning to soften or until your veggie begins to stick, if you’re like me and decided to give your new cast iron pan it’s inaugural run with something that could have easily failed. Add glugs of stock every time the pumpkin is dry, cooking and stirring frequently until 3/4 of the way cooked through.
Add the chopped chard stems and another glug stock, letting simmer until the stems are tender.
Add the chopped chard tops, lemon zest, chopped sun dried tomatoes and another glug or two of stock and let simmer until the stock has cooked down.
Now, I foolishly added salt & pepper with every addition and mine was way too salty. I’d say add salt & pepper with the squash and then taste at the end to see if you need more.
Despite the saltiness, this dish made a great base for additions and I ended up dressing it different ways for a few days. I added leftover fried potatoes the next day after breakfast. I added some leftover fried up turkey ham and served it with eggs for lunch. Leftover chicken thigh made a good second dinner addition, and I had originally intended on adding sausage to the mix but couldn’t find my beloved Beyond Burger bratwurst (aka the only sausage I can find where I live that isn’t merguez or some sort of Middle Eastern spiced beef varietal).
Serves 4 – 6 depending on how much squash you put in and what you add later – I stretched mine to 6 servings with additions
Gastography 