Vegetable Coconut Curry

I'm going to start off with an apology.  Unlike my normal "style" there is no final picture.  Boo!

I know, I know...you're sad.  BUT, in my defense, it was Christmas Eve and my plate didn't look so hot.  LOL  

I am a HUGE fan of Coconut Curry!  HUGE!  When my husband came home with some Maya Kaimal Coconut Curry Sauce that was gluten-free from Costco (it comes in a 2 pack with Vindaloo sauce too), I about died and went to heaven!  I knew I had to do something with it.  Turns out, I had the perfect occasion.  My Uncle from California was in town and would be joining us at my Aunt's house for Christmas Eve.  Not only is he gluten-free like me, but he is Vegetarian.  I had offered to make something gluten-free and vegetarian, so it was the perfect opportunity.

So, this delicious Vegetable Coconut Curry was born!  It was SO filling and incredibly delicious!  I served it over Edamame Noodles (we buy them at Costco), but you could serve it over rice, brown rice, quinoa or any type of gluten-free pasta you prefer.  Or, eat it by itself!  Another bonus of making this recipe is it's kind of a "clean out the fridge" type recipe, so please feel free to add or delete an ingredient or two to make it work with what you have around your house. 

ENJOY!

Servings: 10-14

Ingredients: (Use a 5-6 Quart Slow Cooker for this Recipe)

2 cups chopped broccoli

2 cups butternut squash, chopped into small cubes

1 cup chopped carrots

3/4 cups chopped onion

3/4 cups chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped mushrooms

1 (15.5 oz) can Garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

1 (24 oz) container of Maya Kaimal Coconut Curry Sauce (or any other type of curry sauce you enjoy...double check it's gluten-free though)

Directions:

Place the broccoli, butternut squash, carrots, onion, celery, mushrooms and garbanzo beans into the slow cooker.  Cover it with the Coconut Curry Sauce.

No need to stir.  Put the lid on and let it cook for about 4 hours on LOW or 2-2.5 hours on HIGH.

Serve alone or over rice, brown rice, quinoa, or any type of gluten-free pasta you enjoy!

Cajun Shredded Chicken with Sweet Potatoes - Gluten-Free

I love anything spicy!  No, really, I do!  You can ask my husband.  When I was pregnant, EVERYTHING gave me acid reflux, yet I craved spicy even more.  My husband even took throwing out the things I had just bought to keep me from getting acid reflux and complaining!  LOL  I'll never forget the day he threw away my Fire Cheetos!  I was so mad!  Hahahahaaa!!

This shredded chicken wasn't all that spicy, but it had the flavor I was craving!  This was SO simple to throw together and a delicious and easy complete dinner.  The pineapple was a complete last minute addition and it was perfect!  The sweet potatoes were incredibly sweet and delicious as well.  You can serve them on the side, or on your salad.

I served my shredded chicken over lettuce, but my husband and kiddos had it on nachos!  They loved it!  

Servings: 6-8

Ingredients:

2-3 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 Tbsp. Cajun seasoning

8 oz. can crushed pineapple

1 Tbsp. honey

1/2 cup water

Directions:

Place the chicken in your crock and coat each side with olive oil and Cajun seasoning.

Place the sweet potatoes on top and then pour the can of crushed pineapples and all its juices over the top along with the honey.

Add the 1/2 cup of water and cook on LOW for 5-6 hours, or on HIGH for 2.5-3 hours.

When the chicken is cooked, remove it, shred it, then stir it back through the juices in the crock.

Serve whichever way you choose and enjoy!

Turkey Stock - Gluten-Free

Every wonder what to do with the turkey carcass besides throwing it away?  I have the perfect solution for you!  Use the turkey carcass, along with all the leftover veggies from your veggie tray to make an extremely healthy turkey stock you can freeze and use later in your recipes.

It's super duper simple folks!  ANYONE can do this!  In fact, I've been scared for years to try this and I have no idea why.  I feel silly for not having done this before.  From now on, I will keep my turkey, chicken and beef bones to make stock with.  I've been using stock out of my freezer to cook with now and I know EXACTLY how much salt is in it.....none!  LOL  It gives me the opportunity to season things appropriately!  With my history of kidney stones, watching my salt intake is very important.

So, don't throw away the leftover veggies or carcasses!  Use them to make a delicious stock you can use for recipes to come!

Servings: 8-14 cups (depending on size of crock you use)

Ingredients:

1 turkey carcass, plus a little bit of turkey fat

2 cups carrots (chopped into chunks)

1 onion quartered

2 cups celery

5 cloves garlic

water

Directions: (Use a 3 quart or larger Slow Cooker for this recipe)

Place the turkey carcass in your crock.

Add in the carrots, celery, onion and garlic (I added my garlic at the last minute by accident, so it won't be pictured until later)

Fill your crock with water.

Cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours, or on LOW for 6-8 hours.

It will look like this.

CAREFULLY pour your broth through a strainer.

From here, I poured cup portions into freezer baggies.  I have been using them in my slow cooker recipes from the frozen state. (I just run the baggies under warm water to release the contents from the bag)
 Enjoy!