Category: Mains

Gluten-Free Fried Rice

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I love Asian inspired flavors. I wanted to take on a gluten-free option of one of my favorite dishes, fried rice. Before I found out I was gluten intolerant, I always thought the high sodium and oil content was what made me sick. However, since gluten-free is a little challenging from many Asian food establishments, I decided to take on my own healthier version to meet my dietary and weight loss goals. Every time I make this dish, I feel like I’m cheating on my diet. I fulfill my bad food cravings without impacting my waist line!

I created this recipe as a plant based meal. However, your favorite protein can be switched out for the garbanzo beans as an alternative for my carnivore friends. Additionally, you’ll see egg is added to this recipe. To make it vegan, simply remove the egg.

Here’s what you’ll need to get started.

Ingredients

2 eggs
1.5 cups of cooked white rice
1 cup of chopped white onion
1 can of garbanzo beans
1 bag of your favorite frozen stir fry veggies (I used Season’s Choice)
2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1/4 cup gluten-free tamari soy sauce (low sodium if possible)
1/8 cup rice vinegar
1 tbsp of sesame oil

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a wok or large fry pan over medium heat.
2. Scramble two eggs in a bowl and add them to the wok. The eggs will cook very quickly, so be sure to stir the eggs so they don’t burn.
3. Once the egg is solidified, add your chopped onions, garlic and cooked white rice to the wok. You want the rice to heat up to prevent it from getting soggy from the sauce. The oil will help to stiffen the rice slightly.
4. After a few minutes, add in 1/8 of the gluten-free tamari soy sauce along with the rice vinegar and sesame oil. Stir and evenly coat the rice mixture.
5. After a minute or so cooking, add the frozen stir fry veggie mix and the garbanzo beans to the wok. Stir occasionally.
6. Once the veggies are cooked through, add the remaining 1/8 cup of gluten-free tamari soy sauce to the wok. Stir. Let cook for an additional 1-2 minutes and remove from heat. Serve immediately.

This recipe makes 3 servings.

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Savory Caprese Chicken

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I’m Italian and there is no better appetizer than a Caprese Salad in my opinion. It’s nostalgic and reminds me of family. With the quarantine, I miss being gathered around a noisy table. Even though it’s my favorite, the large amounts of cheese aren’t exactly helpful to my waistline. The mozzarella is limited in this dish to make it diet friendly, but there is no lack of flavor. You’ll feel like you’re cheating on your diet while you savor every bite of this recipe!

What you’ll need to get started:

Ingredients

1 package of chicken breasts
4 oz. of sliced fresh mozzarella cheese (I bought a small pre-sliced log)
1-2 tomatoes (Campari, Roma or Beefsteak)
1 bunch of basil (2-3 cups was used in this recipe)
1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar
4 tbsp of olive oil
1 clove of garlic
1-2 pinches salt
1-2 pinches black pepper

A few things I’d like to point out before you dive into the recipe. I will be making a homemade pesto sans nuts. If you like your pesto with pine nuts, please feel free to substitute with your favorite pesto. Additionally, I’m making a small quantity which makes it hard to purée in a food processor. I used a mortar bowl to purée my ingredients, but they could easily be finely chopped as an alternative. Let’s get cooking!

Directions

1. Combine the chicken, 2 tbsp of oil, the balsamic vinegar and a pinch of salt and pepper in a shallow Tupperware or ziplock bag. Evenly coat the chicken with the mixture.
2. Marinate in fridge for 30-60 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
3. While the chicken is marinating, prep the pesto that will be placed on top of the chicken. Combine 2-3 cups of basil, 2 tbsp of oil, 1 clove of garlic and salt/pepper to your mini food processor. Again, if your quantity isn’t large enough for your processor a mortar bowl can be used as an alternative or the ingredients can be finely chopped and stirred/crushed together. Place to the side.
4. This step is optional: In a fry pan heat oil over medium heat and pan sear the chicken (approx 1 minute each side). This will help seal in flavor and give the chicken more coloring. Transfer to a sheet pan or dish to finish cooking in the oven.
5. Once chicken is in the sheet pan or dish, place the pesto mixture over each piece of chicken. I usually use one tsp of the pesto per piece of chicken and spread over the top.
6. Place the chicken in the oven and cook to an approx. internal temperature of l35-140 degrees.
7. Add one slice of tomato in the center of each chicken slice. Then add 1 oz. of sliced mozzarella cheese to each piece of chicken. The cheese slices should be evenly spread and centered. This will allow the cheese to melt around the tomato and chicken, holding it all together. Don’t be alarmed if your cheese melts off the chicken. Simply scoop it to cover any spots that may have been missed on the chicken.
8. Once the chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees (cook times will vary depending on size and thickness), remove from the oven and rest for 3-5 minutes, then serve.

This recipe will create 4 servings.

I love to serve this dish with roasted asparagus or broccoli as a side. Buon appetito!

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Cajun Sweet Potato Medley

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If you like a little kick with your veggies, then this dish is a must try! This hardy vegan recipe is delicious with room for moderation. If vegan isn’t your thing, a meat protein (I’d recommend chicken or shrimp) can easy be added to meet your dietary preference.

What I love about this recipe is truly how simple it is to make. Here’s what you’ll need to get started:

Ingredients

2 sweet potatoes cubed
1 head of broccoli, cut into florets
1 red onion sliced or chopped
1 can of black beans
2 tbsp of olive oil
2 tsp of cajun seasoning
Salt and Black Pepper to Taste (I use 2 pinches)

Directions

  1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
  2. While the oven is preheating, place the cubed sweet potatoes on a sheet pan.
  3. Pour 1 tbsp of olive oil over the cubed sweet potatoes. Add a pinch of salt and black pepper. Then add 1 tsp of cajun seasoning. Hand mix the sweet potatoes to evenly spread the oil and seasoning. As an alternative, this step can also be completed in a bowl prior to adding the sweet potatoes to the sheet pan.
  4. Bake at 425 degrees for 8 minutes.
  5. Remove the pan from the oven and reduce the temperature to 400 degrees.
  6.  Add broccoli florets and sliced red onion to the sheet pan. Caution! The pan will be hot, so be careful. Pour the other tbsp of olive oil onto the veggie mixture. Add 1 tsp of cajun seasoning. If desired, add more salt and pepper to taste. Mix the veggies with a spatula to evenly spread the oil and seasoning.
  7. Place the sheet pan back in the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes. The cook time will depend on how you like your broccoli cooked.
  8. When the timer goes off, remove the pan from the oven and add your black beans. Mix the black beans with the veggies using your spatula. Place back in the oven for 5 minutes.
  9. Once the timer rings, remove from the oven and serve.

I like this dish over white rice or quinoa. Please pair with any side you enjoy.

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