Gluten/Dairy Free Mushroom Smothered Chicken

As you know if you've read any previous recipes, I am suffering from a nursling with a dairy sensitivity. Therefore, I have been craving nothing but creamy, cheesy, buttery foods that would be sure to lead to an evening of projectile vomiting and a very upset 8 week old. Lets not go there...

Tonight upon opening my refrigerator, I found some gorgeous mushrooms. My first thought of a rich, creamy, smothered chicken breast was immediately stifled. But I couldn't help myself.  Why can't I have a delicious meal without the dairy induced screaming? A little tweaking to my standard recipe and this little gem was born. This is a very flexible recipe, which can be adapted for many dietary needs! This one however, is gluten and of course, dairy free. Enjoy! 


Ingredients

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• salt, pepper, garlic powder
• 6 tablespoons coconut oil (divided)
• 3 crushed garlic cloves
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced
• 1/2 lb sliced mushrooms
• 5 tablespoons coconut flour
• 1 14oz can chicken broth
• 1/2 cup coconut milk

Directions

• Heat 4 tablespoons coconut oil in a large pan over medium high heat.

• Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper and garlic powder.

• Place the chicken breasts in the pan and cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes on each side. DO NOT OVERCOOK! Yes, yes I know. Raw chicken will kill you! I promise you that the bacteria is killed far before that chicken is dry as a bone. You should be able to cut into the breast and the juices (that's right, juices!) will run clear. 

• Once the chicken is cooked, remove from the pan, cover with foil and set aside. 

• Add the remaining coconut oil, shallots, garlic and mushrooms and cook until shallots are translucent and mushrooms are browned slightly. 

• Sprinkle the coconut flour over the mushrooms and stir to coat evenly. 

• Add the chicken broth slowly and let the sauce thicken, stirring constantly.  Add coconut milk and stir. 

• Return the chicken breasts back to the pan and spoon sauce over breasts. Serve over noodles, or gluten free noodles or rice for a gluten free option! 

-Shalana

Don't Be Intimidated: Crocheting

When I was 8 months pregnant with my first son I wanted to crochet him blanket so he could sleep with it without me worrying about him suffocating.  My problem was I had never crocheted before.  I thought myself to knit scarfs when I was in college, but I hadn’t kept up with it.  My friend talked me out of learning due to the fact that I was trying to become a licensed landscape architect and about to take my last exam, which I passed and probably wouldn’t have if I learned to crochet.  Christmas came around and my son was 4 months old.  I bought him a cute crocheted hat off of ETSY like I did for his birth announcements.  The hat cost about $25 and I decided then that I was going to learn to crochet because it had to be cheaper than buying them.  In January I taught myself to crochet hats and soon my friends were asking me to make hats, blankets and shoes for them.  I eventually opened up my own ETSY shop, Hats and Knit Knacks.  

Crocheting is really easy with practice and I taught myself how to crochet from youtube videos.  I first found a video that I liked and then went and bought the supplies.  What I have found is that most yarns and patterns use a G Hook (4.0 mm).  So that is what I started with.  I went to Michaels and bought 1 skein of yarn and a G Hook.  This way you aren’t spending a ton of money on an entire kit if you don’t like it.  I eventually went back and bought a set of hooks and have added larger hooks when patterns required them. Here are some of the videos I used.  

Basic Double Crochet Hat with Ears

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNeSZkUpWkM&feature=related

Granny Stitch Hat

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1SBPeCw8YI&feature=relmfu

Puff Stitch Hat

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8lLMHpt1Sw

A great site to find patterns is ravelry.com  Some patterns are free and some aren’t.  You can usually find what you are looking for free, but you will need to know the crochet language.  A list of terminology can be found at Lions Brand http://www.lionbrand.com/cgi-bin/faq-search.cgi?dictionaryOfAbbreviations=1

I hope you find this information helpful.  Just remember it may not come easy.  My first hat probably took me 8 hours to make.  I was yelling at my husband to turn the tv down and to be quiet.  My stitches also did not look like hers in the video.  It takes practice to crochet evenly and tight.  My first  hat was more of a bowl and couldn’t fit anyones head.  I can now make a hat in an hour or two depending on the detail and size.

Happy Crocheting!

xoxo

-J

Tips from a Teacher: Keeping our Baby Birds Healthy

Children will soon see friends they missed over the summer. Parents will buy endless amounts of school supplies. New clothes will fill the closets, and school days will replace the summer sunshine.

The beginning of the school year engenders energy in our children, and we love to see our children happy. Unfortunately, mommies know the school year also means sick children. Let’s not only help our children be prepared for school but also prepared to fight illnesses. Maybe you are one of those moms who is one step ahead. I’d like to think I am, but I honestly feel like I am sliding on my belly like a penguin, rather than soaring above like an eagle. I’m a momma bird in charge of baby birds that will start day care next week, and I’d like to help my little chirping babies stay as healthy as possible in this nest. Although germs help build the immune system, recurrent illnesses weaken the immune system- rather than build a strong a immune system. If you haven’t heard of Briar Rose, then I recommend for you to pick some up for about $10 at a nearby health store, or order it online.

Depending on the age of the child, give the child a dose of 25 to 50 drops three times per day when the child begins the school year and continue through the first two months to help your child boost his or her immune system. “Then, Dr. Tetau recommends doing this 15 days each month through the rest of the school year to prevent recurrences” (Towle).

When one gets sick, ear, nose and throat seem to be attacked the most often. “Upper respiratory tract infections are typically present when school begins, following major holidays such as Thanksgiving & Christmas and then in the spring with the change in the weather” (Towle). The treatment protocol to overcome the infection is 25 to 50 drops three times per day for an adult, but my pediatrician recommends 10 drops mixed in a shot of water three times per day for my 1-year-old.

Briar Rose does not guarantee your child will not get sick. There are other precautions to help your child: wash his or her hands before eating a meal, keep your child home if he / she is running a fever without fever fighting medicine, limit sugars and processed foods, cook meals at home instead of eating out, and keep your child physically active.

Didn’t get enough?

• You can read the details on how to treat specific illnesses with Gemmotherapy:http://www.alifeexperience.net/articles/gemmotherapy_a_powerful_tool_by_towle.htm

• Check out this page for your specific ear, nose and throat issue to best help boost your immune system to overcome the illness more quickly:http://drfeder.com/?page=articles&action=viewArticle&articleID=22

It should also be pointed out that homeopathy is an FDA approved form of healing in the United States.

Works Cited: Towle, Daniel, D.C., DNBHE. "GEMMOTHERAPY:  A POWERFUL TOOL." GEMMOTHERAPY:  A POWERFUL TOOL. The Global Homeopathic Alliance, 2001. Web. 7 Jun. 2013.

xoxo

B

What Non-Parents Want Us To Know + What Parents Want Them To Know

What non-parents want parents to know.

1.)Even though I’m nodding my head while you speak, I really don’t care how many poops your toddler has taken in his new potty chair. Did your cute pooping toddler squirt out some jellybeans too? Okay, now I care.

2.)Your kid is gluten free? What the hell is gluten? Is that a type of fish? I’ve never heard of this fish. I’ve just come to the vast conclusion that I’m gluten free also.

3.)Look, I completely understand what its like to have a few children running our lives on a day to day basis, but could you at least muster up a solid three minutes and put some effort into that hair? Jesus woman, looking like Mufasa up in here.

4.)Hey, your kid just drooled into my mouth- He’s cute and all, but I’m secretly trying not to freak out over these germs we’ve got going on over here…

5.)Being around your well-behaved kids make me feel like I want some of my own. When they act up, I take back that thought and pat myself on the back for not being pregnant.

*************************************************************************

What parents want non-parents to know.

1.)You care about my toddlers first poop adventures just as much as I care about your wild nights out. That’s fine. I don’t expect you to be as excited as I am when the munchkin drops a deuce in the toilet, but give me a break- we’ve worked really hard to get where we are today. Our hard work is shown off by a little nugget of poop that’s not confined in a diaper, and we feel like fucking rockstars.

2.)Although I’m flattered by your interest in my kids diet, you don’t really need to understand their lifestyle to get on with yours. Unless you’re in charge of feeding my kids anytime soon, don’t worry about what the munchkin is eating (unless you see him eating batteries, otherwise be very worried).

3.)Do you have children running your life on a daily basis? Neither do I. Do you think my kids wake me up every morning, make my coffee and take me to work? While the kiddos are in my possession, I’m the one running their lives. Doctors appointments, play dates, day care? All me. Oh, and do you know what could happen in three minutes? Yeah, my hair is just a little less important to me now.

4.) lol “germs”.

5.)You think you’re the only person who has ever said that? I used to make ignorant statements like that too, (I think most parents did) but I grew up and had a baby. Contrary to popular belief, my life isn’t over because I became a parent. My life just started. Maybe one day you’ll understand.

xoxo
-A

5 Reasons why I'm the Worst Mom Ever.

5. I'm a lush, apparently.

Yesterday I mentioned that we had to stop at the store. My 3.5 year old said "yaaay! We're going to the liquor store!" Umm, no kid. We're out of bread. We're stopping at the grocery store. 

4. I'm a meanie mommy.

Our mall does a weekly kids camp, complete with a different bouncy hell.. Err house... Every week. This week it was a climbing wall with a slide on the other side. So small fry finally gets to the top after climbing up using these stupid blocks as a ladder, while I and all the other moms, one of the mall managers, and the bouncy attendant cheer her on (while snickering as she struggles. Yes. I went there.) Sooooo she gets to the top and just sits. Meanwhile her brother is literally LEAPING down the slide next to it. (One time down, he landed on his face and decided to do the same thing again. I can't decide if it's really admirable that he's so persistent or really dumb.) On the other side of this giant mountain, at the bottom of the slide, the security guards and moms are cheering her on. I'm yelling "come on, baby! You can do it! It's like the playground!" Nothing. Blank stares. Well, she has to go down one way or another. Soooo I tell the big older kid to push her. Yup. I asked someone to push my kid! (In my defense, She wasn't moving! What goes up, must come down, right??) And of course, she got to the bottom and said "ah-den!" Umm, sorry, nugget. Not going through that shit again. 

3. Yummmm! Germs!!

I let my kids have sippy cups that've touched the floor. Yes, a crime against humanity, I know. It falls on the floor and goes right back into their hands. I don't sanitize it, scrub it, or even rinse it off. If it looks reeeeeeeally suspect, I'll kiss it up to God, but seriously? I licked metal jungle gyms, ate dirt, and roasted marshmallows on sticks I found in the woods. Guess what? I somehow made it to adulthood. 

2. What are you eating!?

Sometimes when we're out, I notice one of them eating something. Not just the usual stray booger or a goldfish found in the carseat... Nope, we're talking like we're in the shoe store and suddenly they're chewing on real food... That I didn't give to them. I probably shouldn't admit this, but I usually just turn my head and pretend I don't notice. Again, I'm still alive. 

1. I set them up to be bullied

I accidentally named my kids "Smelly" and "Vagina". Well, sorta. No parent names their kid with the intent to get them stuffed into a locker by the football team. I don't think, anyway. (Except for maybe those people whose last name is Hunt and name their kid Mike, or the ones who give their kid the same first name as last name. Really? You couldn't get just a LITTLE creative!?)
Anyhooooo, my kids are JJ and Isabella. I started thinking about how mean kids are, and how thankful I was that my kids have un-makefunable names. Then it hit me. Someone is gonna call JJ "Va-jay-jay"!!!! Ahhhhh not cool! And poor Bella! Someone will inevitably call her Smella! Ahhhh and then, what if they think I named them those names because I have a Smella Va-jay-jay!?! What will the other parents think!? I guess at least I won't have to have their kids over for play dates! :) 


xoxo
-A

Dracula's Downfall Pizza

Who doesn't like pizza, right? Cheesy, greasy deliciousness in a pan is hard to resist. Of course, there are slightly healthier alternatives out there in some restaurants with thin crust.  But what about those who have a gluten allergy? I'm not one of them personally (thank you Jesus) but the trend is sweeping America as folks are becoming more and more aware of the reason they haven't had a solid BM in years. No, I'm more along the lines of the mom who, if I can sneak veggies and protein into a meal and make it healthier, I feel the sudden urge to don a SuperMom cape and start fighting 'The Man'.

I stumbled across a pizza crust online a few months ago that called for cauliflower, cheese and eggs. I made it for my family, and it was a success! Fast forward to the present, and I now have a little nursling who has a dairy sensitivity (projectile vomit anyone?). I was visiting with my cousin who has a gluten intolerance and she was making a cauliflower pizza crust. I started dreaming longingly of pizza and was just starting to attempt to curb my drooling desires when I noticed that she wasn't adding cheese to the crust! I asked for the recipe and skipped home to try it out. The product was a deliciously healthy pizza that would put the toughest vampire into a coma, therefore I have fondly nicknamed this dish 'Draculas Downfall'. I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that my toddler has watched Hotel Transylvania 8 times today. 



First, I am including some quick directions on how to roast garlic. I am baffled by the amount of folks I talk to who have never had it. The mild, buttery, nutty flavor is so amazing that I use roasted garlic in SO many dishes, and even eat cloves straight from the bulb.

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Ingredients:



Whole garlic bulbs
Olive oil

Aluminum foil



Directions:

1.Cut about 1/4" off the top of each bulb of garlic, exposing the tops of the cloves and remove the papery outer layers.

2. Drizzle a little olive oil on each bulb, using your finger to make sure each clove is coated.

3. Wrap garlic in foil, pop in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. 

When the garlic has cooled to the touch, simply take a small knife and cut the skin around each clove. Squeeze the cloves out from the bottom and enjoy! 
 

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Roasted Garlic Herb Sauce 

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 bulb mashed roasted garlic (you can use as much as you like)

3 Tbsp Coconut flour (or flour of your choice, this is just what I had on hand)

3/4 cup water with a squirt of lemon juice

2 Tsp Italian Seasoning 
Salt and Pepper


Directions:



1. Heat oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add mashed garlic and flour, stirring to make a paste. 


2. When it starts to thicken slowly add liquid, whisking constantly until you reach the desired consistency (you may not use all the liquid) 


3. Remove from heat and stir in seasonings.

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For the crust 

Ingredients



2 cups cauliflower (one small one or half a large one)
1/4 onion

3 cloves garlic

1 1/4 cup Almond meal

2 eggs

Italian seasoning

Salt and Pepper



Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees

2. Combine cauliflower, onion and garlic in a food processor and pulse until crumbly. Don't overmix, you don't want to have a paste. Stir in almond meal, eggs and seasonings.

3. Form into pizza crust and bake alone for 20 minutes. I used my baking stone. 



After the crust is out of the oven, spread the sauce evenly and top! I topped mine with chicken, bacon (makes everything better) sliced roasted garlic, spinach and dairy free cheese.

 

If you're not a garlic freak like I am, you can top your crust with any kind of sauce/topping combination you desire. Tomato, basil pesto... the possibilities are endless! 



Enjoy :) 

xoxo
-S