Italian Spiced Chicken - Gluten-Free

I needed a quick, simple, cheap dinner.....and one that required VERY LITTLE thought process behind it.  I  remembered how I was at my cousin't house a couple months ago and she had made chicken legs that were delicious!  When I asked her what she cooked them with, she said "Mrs. Dash!"  That's it!  I couldn't believe it!  Something so simple tasted so good!

So, when I needed simple, I too, turned to Mrs. Dash seasoning.  It made my chicken legs delicious!  Of course, in "Hope fashion," I doctored even my Mrs. Dash up a bit and added a few more spices to make this Italian Spiced Chicken.

Honestly, anyone has time for this recipe.  So, go grab some super cheap chicken legs, your spices and get CROCKIN'!

Servings: 4-8

Ingredients:

3-4 lbs. bone-in chicken legs (or any other bone-in chicken)

1 Tbsp. Mrs. Dash Original Seasoning

1 Tbsp. basil

1 Tbsp. oregano

1 Tbsp. garlic powder

1 Tbsp. onion powder

2 oz. tomato paste

1/2 cup water

Directions: (Use a 5 quart or larger slow cooker for this)

Mix together the Mrs. Dash, basil, oregano, garlic powder and onion powder.

Line the bottom of your crock with chicken and sprinkle with the seasoning.

Place the remaining chicken on top and sprinkle with the rest of the seasoning.

Mix together the tomato paste and water.

(Mine was a little thick, so I added more water later.  Yours will be a little thinner because I made the adjustment to the recipe above for you)

Pour the tomato sauce over the chicken.

Cook on LOW for 8 hours or on HIGH for 4 hours.

Enjoy!

Cranberry Nut Stuffed Pork Loin - Gluten-Free

I wanted to cook pork loin, but I didn't want to do something boring....I wanted to do something a little "different."  So, I started digging through my cupboards and cabinets.  I came across dried cranberries and some pecans and walnuts.  Knowing I can make almond butter out of almonds, I figured.....why not makes some cranberry, pecan, walnut butter?!  So, I did!

I threw the cranberries, pecans and walnuts into a food processor and magic happened.  It turned into a wonderful, thick filling for my pork loin.  PERFECT!  

I got to work cutting my pork loin into pieces so I they would fit into the bottom of my crock, butterlied them, stuffed them and put them in my slow cooker with a little applesauce on top with a prayer.  LOL  Honestly, sometimes I'm REALLY unsure as to what I'm throwing in my slow cooker is going to be edible.  Thankfully, this was!  It was delicious actually!  My husband was a little unsure of what I was up to, but once he tasted it, he was on board! ;)  

Here's the only negative.....the "looks" of this.  When it cooks, everything turns very brown.  The stuffing looks not very appetizing.  BUT, if you can get past that, this is delicious.  It also needs to be served with the juices over the top, otherwise it is very dry.  I took the picture below of my plate and then ate it as is.  It was painfully dry.  Tasted good, but dry.  When I had it the next day, my husband was like "pour the juices over the top! It's SOO good that way!"  So, I did.  And he was right.  I love that man.  He's so smart.  (Brownie points?!!!)

Servings: 6-8

Ingredients:

3-4 lb. boneless pork loin

1/2 cup walnuts

1/2 cup pecans

3/4 cup craisins (dried cranberries - or any other dried fruit you like)

1 Tbsp. honey

3/4-1 cup natural applesauce

1/2 cup water

salt and pepper to taste

Directions: (Use a 5-6 Quart or larger slow cooker for this recipe)

In a food processor, place the walnuts, pecans, craisins and honey.

Process this until it forms into a thick paste that looks something like this....

If your pork loins will fit into your slow cooker without cutting it into pieces, great.  Mine would not, so I cut mine into 4 equal sections, then butterflied them open.

Spread the cranberry, walnut, pecan paste onto one half of each piece of your pork loin.

Close them up and put them into the bottom of your crock.

Sprinkle them with salt and pepper.

 Pour the applesauce over the top and add the water to the bottom of the crock.

Cook on LOW for about 7 hours or on HIGH for 3.5 hours.

Serve and ENJOY!

Creamy Tomato Curry Sauce with Sausage - Gluten-Free

Ever have seriously crazy ideas....that you're incredibly nervous about?!  I do.  All the time.  Sometimes when I create recipes, and I'm concerned about whether it's going to turn out or not, I'm in knots all day!  This was one of those times.  Was the money I spent on everything that went into my slow cooker going to be a waste, or was it going to be a success?!  I prayed for success......and I got it!!!

This sauce turned out JUST as I had hoped and prayed it would!  It was light, creamy, flavorful and yummy!  All the ingredients are lighter versions of any other "creamy" sauce you might have used int he past, but I promise you, you won't miss the calories!

This is a QUICK and EASY dinner to throw together!  You can use whatever type of noodles you would like to serve this over.  I used spaghetti squash the first night and Thai rice noodles the second night.  Both were delicious!

Servings: 6-8

Ingredients:

14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes

6 oz. can tomato paste

13.66 oz. can lite coconut milk

1 cup chopped onion

1/8 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 Tbsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. curry powder

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 cup chicken broth

1 lb. ground turkey sausage

Directions: (Use a 3-5 quart slow cooker for this recipe)

In your crock, place the diced tomatoes, tomato paste and coconut milk.

Add in the onion, pepper, salt, garlic powder, curry powder, turmeric and chicken broth.

Next, crumble in the turkey sausage.

 And give it a quick stir.

Cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or on HIGH for 3-3.5 hours.

ENJOY!

Healthy Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough - Gluten-Free

It's no secret....I've been on a health kick.  I've been working my tail off to get in shape.  But, I'm human.....and PMSing.  And I needed chocolate darn-it!!!!  Actually, I wanted to eat a tube of cookie dough, but being that I'm gluten-free, that just wasn't possible.  (Not to mention how disappointed my trainer would be in me!!!!!) So, I hit my cupboard in search of ingredients that weren't awful for me, and wouldn't make me feel guilty!

My trainer Andrea posted a recipe for a healthy pancake.  Well, I didn't want a darn pancake.  I wanted dessert.  DESSERT, darn-it! (I really wanted to use the other word, but I'll keep this clean, LOL!) And not just any dessert, chocolate dessert!

So, I looked at her healthy suggestions and I went to my pantry!  Here's what I came out with........
Ground oats, cocoa powder, sugar in the raw, natural peanut butter, dark chocolate chips and natural applesauce from the fridge.

Ladies and gentlemen, I'm here to tell you these things all work together!  Beautifully actually!  It was not too sweet, but just sweet enough to curb my sweet tooth!  Best of all, I didn't feel at all guilty eating this.  Nope. Not ONE bit!  Oats are SO good for you!  For the tiny bit of sugar in the raw and natural peanut butter used, you don't have to feel like guilty either.  This cookie dough will do the trick, I promise!

So, what are you waiting for!  Go make yourself a bowl!  Add in cocount flakes or some slivered almonds for extra crunch if you like!  Make it your own decadent, guilt-free cookie dough!!!!

Servings: 1

Ingredients:

1/2 cup oat flour

1 Tbsp. cocoa powder

1 tsp. sugar in the raw

1 Tbsp. natural peanut butter

3 Tbsp. natural applesauce

1-2 Tbsp. dark chocolate chips

Directions:

In a bowl, place the oat flour, cocoa powder and sugar in the raw.

Add the peanut butter and applesauce.

Mix it up.

Add the chocolate chips and mix again.

Serve and ENJOY each and every DELICIOUS bite!!!