Chicken Marsala and Sesame Kale

Tonight I was in a hurry to make something that was quick and didn't take a lot of time...well, actually, that's all of the time. Here's a great recipe that literally takes minutes (20 tops?) and is way de-lish, healthy, and of course, gluten free. This is a healthier alternative to a regular pasta marsala that is ladened-with-butter:-) (not your Olive Garden Marsala with 2000+ calories-yikes!) 
-Substitute regular flour for the rice flour and you'll have a "regular" marsala.
 Enjoy!

Chicken Marsala

INGREDIENTS:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 T rice flour (can use sorghum or white rice)

2 T Smart Balance spread or olive oil

2 cups mushrooms, sliced

3/4 c Marsala Cooking Wine

1/4 c water

2 T fresh parsley, chopped (or 1 tsp dried)

1 tsp rosemary

DIRECTIONS:

Pound chicken until thin.  Saute or boil until cooked in ~1 tsp olive oil.  In a separate skillet, melt spread (or olive oil) and saute mushrooms over med heat until browned, 10 mins.  Add wine, water, parsley and rosemary. Turn on low.  After chicken is cooked, cut in large chunks and dredge lightly on both sides with flour.  Stir coated chicken in w/ mushrooms mixture.  Keep on low heat, stirring once until sauce is thickened.

Sesame Kale

INGREDIENTS:

1 large bunch kale, chopped

1 tsp olive oil

1 T lemon juice

1/4 tsp pepper

1-2 tsp sesame seeds

DIRECTIONS:

Heat olive oil on med heat, add kale.  Saute for ~5 mins until kale slightly cooked.  Sprinkle lemon juice, pepper and seeds and mix while on stove.  Saute for another 2-3 mins until kale is slightly wilted. 

Remove from heat, and place chicken marsala mixture on bed of kale.

Enjoy!!!

                         (The pictures don't quite do it justice-not my expertise by any means;-)



~Millet-Colorado's Top Grain~

 Last year, I discovered a new grain that makes hearty salads and is also great as an alternative gluten free flour.  Millet is the yellow, round grain (seed) that I have been baking  & cooking with recently. While researching for an intern project, I realized millet is Colorado's #1 grown grain! Millet flour is a great, nutritionally rich (high protein as well) gf flour I love to make yeast breads and pizza crusts with. 

The whole grain itself can be used to make salads,  pilafs, soups, breads, sides or hot breakfast cereals.  Millet's texture mimics a cross between brown rice and quinoa. 

        Gluten free yeast bread with Millet flour..................

This annual grass is grown as a grain crop and is used for bird and livestock feed. (This is probably where you've most likely seen it-as birdseed!)

This is a great recipe I adapted from Rudi's GF website-A local CO bakery out of Boulder.  I made this salad tonight, and let me tell you...it is definitely blog-worthy...

Enjoy!!!

Warm Millet Salad

Ingredients:

1 cup of Millet; rinsed about 2 or 3 times and drained

2 1/4 cups of Water

1/2 – 8 oz pkg of Shiitake Mushrooms

1 orange. red or yellow Bell Pepper; diced

½ of an Onion; diced

1/4-1/2 can of Corn; drained

2 small or 1 large Scallions; green and white parts

 Mustard Vinaigrette (see recipe below)

1.5 tsp parsley

Salt and Pepper to taste

Basic Mustard Vinaigrette:

(Mix all ingredients below and whisk thoroughly to combine)

1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/3 cup Rice Vinegar

2 tbsp Dijon Mustard

Method:

• In a large pot (or wok), add the rinsed millet and dry it out from the rinsing over a medium low heat; keep it moving in the pan so it does not burn.
• After it is dry (about 2 minutes), add 1 tbsp of olive oil and continue to stir to coat the millet for about 1 more millet; remove the pan from the heat.
• In a second large pot with a heavy or a snug fitting lid, bring the 2 cups of water to a boil.
• Add the millet to the pot or water and bring the pot back to a boil; place the cover on and lower the heat to low. Set a timer for 25 minutes (do not uncover or touch the millet again until it is done).
• While the millet is simmering; in a large sauté pan or wok, sauté the onions and bell pepper in about 3 tbsps of olive oil over a medium low heat for about 4 minutes until the peppers and onions are slightly tender.
• Now add the corn and the shiitake mushrooms to the pan and raise the heat to high and continue to cook mixture for about 3 minutes; you are only looking to warm the corn and mushrooms through at this point. After the mixture is done, set aside and cover the pan to keep warm.
• Remove millet from stove, use a fork and fluff by raking the fork through the millet.
• Dump the millet into a large mixing bowl (big enough for the millet and vegetable mixture), add the vegetable mixture to the bowl along with the scallions and gently fold to combine.
• Add all of the vinaigrette to the millet mixture with your desired amount of salt and pepper and again fold gently to combine.
• This salad is great warm or cold! Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegan and Vegetarian

Spiced Pear & Fig Crumble

One of my favorite dried fruits to cook with is in this recipe-Figs...Next to dates (the most addicting dried fruit evvverrr), figs rank quite high on my list.  They are naturally sweet and are a great little addition to baked goods, salads, etc. Figs are high in potassium, fiber and calcium as well!  With the addition of figs & pears to spice up a standard crisp recipe, and the subtraction of WAY too much butter and sugar that normal recipes call for, here is what I came up with!
*If you find it's too dry while baking, simply pour more apple juice over the top-It works great and won't mess a thing up!

For some added variety, I used three different types of pears (asian, bosc and anjou)...

   Spice Pear & Fig Crumble

INGREDIENTS:

1 apple, in thin slices (of choice)

3 pears, in thin slices (varied kinds)

3/4 cup apple juice or cider

1 tsp vanilla extract

¼ c brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp cloves

¾ c white rice flour

½ cup oats

10 dried figs, sliced in small rounds (any type will work)

1/8 cup canola oil-drizzled on top

1 T margarine, chopped in small slivers

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a 8x8 square baking dish w/ cooking spray. 

Mix 1/2 c of the apple juice, vanilla, apples and pears together in medium bowl.  In another medium bowl, mix the next 7 ingredients (dry ing+ figs) together.  Place pear & apple mixture into baking dish and spread evenly.  Next, sprinkle dry ingredient mixture over top, covering all the fruit.  Drizzle the remaining apple juice over the top of the dry mixture.  Then, evenly drizzle the canola oil over the top of the crumble.  Place the thin slices of margarine on top of the crumble. (Will melt in oven) Sprinkle walnuts on top.  Place in oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until fruit is tender to your liking.

Remove from oven and serve with a spoonful of vanilla yogurt, or low fat ice cream.....And don't forget a cup of joe on the side :-)

Once again, you can't mess up this recipe-add more liquid, spice, or whatever you'd like!

Gluten Free & Dairy Free

Enjoy!