Chicken Tikka Masala - Dairy Free Style

No dairy in this house, so that often comes with many recipe adaptations. Indian Food as an option for going out in a non-dairy fashion, isn't an option, therefore, we've figured out how to do it ourselves. Here is the Chicken Tikka Masala recipe we've come to love (honestly, coconut milk makes it better than "cow milk"). I know the ingredient list can be intimidating, but SO worth it!

*Pardon the cell phone picture*

Ingredients

Marinade

• 1 cup coconut milk, whisked until smooth(don't cheat with the light kind!)
  
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
  
• 3 cloves garlic minced (or through a garlic press which I prefer)
  
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or boneless, skinless chicken breasts if you want to go white meat and lower fat content), poked with a fork, and cut into large bite-sized chunks

Sauce

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons Earth Balance Buttery Spread
  
• 6 cloves garlic
  
• 2 inch thumb ginger (minced)
  
• 2 serrano peppers, minced (seeds removed if you don't want it spicy)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons paprika
  
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 8 Roma tomatoes, diced (sometimes I cheat depending on the season and use one large 16 oz. can of diced tomatoes)
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup coconut milk (don't cheat with the light kind here either!)
  
• Minced fresh cilantro, for garnish

Directions

In large bowl, mix the coconut milk, ginger, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Poke chicken with a fork, then add to marinade. Fold to cover and marinate at least 30 minutes, at most refrigerated overnight.

For the sauce:

When you're ready to make the curry, place a large skillet over medium heat, and add the Earth Balance and olive oil. When butter has melted, add the garlic, ginger, and serrano pepper. Saute until lightly browned around the edges.

Add the tomato paste and cook until the tomato has darkened in colour, about 3 minutes. Add the paprika and garam masala, and saute for about 1 minute to draw out their flavours.

Add the tomatoes, salt, and water. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to a simmer, and cover. Cook for 20 minutes. Take the pan off the fire, and allow the sauce to cool for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, fire up your broiler, and cover your broiler pan in foil. Pull the chicken thigh chunks out of the marinade and place on the sheet. Place under the broiler, and cook about 7 minutes on each side, until charred and cooked through. Note: Don't worry if the chicken is still a little uncooked, but very charred on the outside; you can finish cooking the chicken in the sauce. Also, even if it ends up a little blackened on the tips or edges, it's going to be delicious.

Pour sauce into a blender or food processor, and process until smooth. Pour back into the pan, and bring back up to a boil. Add the chicken.. Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook, covered, for about 10 minutes.

Add coconut milk and stir through. Garnish with minced fresh cilantro if you like, and serve over rice or naan.

Enjoy!

Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble

I got inspired by the gorgeous strawberries and rhubarb on a recent trip to Whole Foods and had to make this crumble that reminds me of the same thing my Mom used to make with the rhubarb that grew in our garden. This crumble comes with a Vegan and Whole Wheat spin (you know, to balance out all the sugar).

Ingredients

· 1 cup sugar

· 3 TBSP whole wheat flour

· 3 cups sliced fresh strawberries

· 3 cups diced fresh rhubarb

· 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

· 1 cup packed brown sugar

· 1 cup Earth Balance Buttery Spread

· 1 cup rolled oats

Directions

· Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

· Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish

· In a large bowl, mix sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, strawberries, and rhubarb. Place the mixture in a 9x13 inch baking dish

· Mix 1 1/2 cups flour, brown sugar, Earth Balance, and oats until crumbly. You may want to use a pastry blender for this. Crumble on top of the rhubarb and strawberry mixture

· Bake 40-45 minutes, or until crisp and lightly browned

Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti

A delicious gluten-free, low calorie, high fiber (very filling) substitute for pasta. Perfect for fall while squash is in season! I didn't take a picture but this is such a easy, healthy and delicious meal.

Ingredients

• 1 Spaghetti Squash
• Olive Oil
• Spaghetti Sauce (make your own or use a jar, I cheat with a jar and spice it up as this is an easy weeknight meal)

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Half the squash lengthwise (hot dog style if you will) and scoop the seeds
• Lightly coat the inside of the squash with olive oil and place both halves cut side down on a roasting pan
• Bake in oven for around 1 hour or until you can easily insert a fork through the outer skin
• While the squash is baking, heat your sauce on the stove
• When the squash is done, remove from oven and use a fork to remove the strands from the skin
• Cover "squash noodles" with sauce and enjoy!

Erin's Fish Tacos

Tilapia is a great, cheap, lean fish that's great for fish tacos! I make these often as we usually keep frozen tilapia on hand and since the fillet's are so small, it thaws quickly!

Ingredients

• 2 Tilapia Fillets
• 1 tsp Spices, Chili Powder
  1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
  1/4 tsp Black Pepper
  1 tsp Turbinado Sugar
  1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 4 Corn Tortillas Taco Size
• 2 tbsp Red Onion (diced)
  1/4 Tomatoes (diced)
  1/2 Lime (cut into wedges)

Directions

• Thaw, rinse and dry tilapia
• Preheat pan med/med-hi
• Combine spices together (for an addedtouch, dip the very tips of your lime
  wedges in the rub so when you squeeze it on the tacos, you get a little spice,
  not to mention it looks great on a plate)
• Coat fish in olive oil and rub with spice rub
• Cook Tilapia in pre-heated pan until done (approx. 3 min per side)
• Meanwhile, Heat tortillas and dice onion and tomato for garnish. Sometimes I make a basic vinegar slaw to toss on top as well.
• Build your tacos and enjoy! (don't forget to serve with the lime wedges!)

3 B's Baked Beans...because everything is better with Bacon, Bourbon and Brown Sugar

Summer is here and it's time for grilling and delicious homecooked food. Baked beans are easy to cheat with by grabbing a can of it at the store and heating it up nice and quick. However, we wanted to try the real deal and they are far superior with no high-fructose corn syrup and no preservatives!


Ingredients

• 1 lb dry Navy Beans (aka Great Northern's)


• 4 slices thick bacon, diced


• 1 cup packed brown sugar


• 2/3 cup Bourbon


• 1/2 cup Stoneground or Dijon Mustard


• Water


• Kosher Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper to taste

Directions

1. Sort through beans and remove any pebbles, foreign objects, etc


2. Soak beans for about one hour in water at room temperature.


3. Cook diced bacon until nice and crispy


4. Put bacon, grease and all into crockpot (how else do you think baked beans taste so good?)


5. Add brown sugar, bourbon, mustard (to give some tang), and drained beans


6. Add enough water to cover beans with an additional inch or so above them


7. Cook overnight or all day. Add water if things are drying out


8. Add salt and pepper to taste
9. Enjoy!

Oven Baked Bacon!

Oven Baked Bacon

I have a strong love/hate relationship with bacon. LOVE crispy bacon, despise soggy bacon, love the flavor and texture but hate the guilt. Oven Baked Bacon is by no means healthier for you than any other bacon but is a good "sometimes food" on a lazy weekend morning.

Using the wire racks helps with heat distribution as well as allows some of the excess fat to drip off of the bacon.

Ingredients:

• Thick Sliced Bacon (as much as you want - 3 pieces per person is plenty!)
• White Sugar (small spoonful)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400
• Line baking sheet with foil - really helps with clean up
• Place wire racks on baking sheet
• Lay out back on wire racks
• Bake for 20 minutes
• Flip bacon
• Bake for a bit longer to desired doneness (usually about 10 minutes for me)
• Remove bacon from oven
• Dab extra fat off with a paper towel if desired
• Sprinkle a LIGHT amount of sugar on the bacon
• ENJOY
  

Oven Potatoes

Oven Potatoes

We make a lot of oven baked potatoes. A lot. You get the flavor of a fried fry without the guilt!

We make breakfast potatoes for breakfast or “Brinner”, steak fries to accompany veggie burgers, sweet potato fries, etc.

Ingredients:

• Potatoes – Russet, Red, Sweet, Blue, Fingerling – your choice of as many as you’d like


• Olive Oil


• Seasonings: I’d suggest black pepper, rosemary, seasoned salt, kosher salt, anything you want!

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400


• Cut potatoes as desired (ideas include wedges, fries, “scallop slices”, cubes)


• Toss in bowl with enough oil just to coat them. Too much oil will make them soggy. Toss in seasonings BESIDES salt


• Oil baking sheet – you don’t want stuck potatoes!


• Spread potatoes on baking sheet


• Place in oven


• Stir frequently and cook until desired doneness – it typically takes 45-60 minutes until they’re evenly cooked, browned and crisped


• Pull out of oven and salt as desired. My favorite is a light sprinkling of kosher salt
  

Enjoy!