I had some leftover strawberries from a trifle recipe I made earlier today (which is glutenous, and therefore NOT posted!) I was considering some different options of what to do with them when I realized I had some bittersweet chocolate chips in the freezer - that solved my conundrum. I melted a bowl full of bittersweet chocolate chips in the microwave, and made sure the strawberries were completely dry before dipping them in. And here you are, for a refreshing and delicious afternoon snack!

*Below, find the mini strawberry shortcake trifles I made. You can easily make them gluten-free by using the following cake mix:  

http://www.bettycrocker.com/products/gluten-free-baking-mixes/products/gluten-free-yellow-cake-mix

Whip Cream, any kind that you like.

And Strawberries on top!

Enjoy :)

Floridian Breakfast!

No one was in any mood for cereal around here this morning - so smoothies were the natural next option. All you need is a good blender and the rest is quick and easy. Throw in all the ingredients, push a button and breakfast is ready in no time at all. Here is the recipe we came up with, but by all means, experiment until you find what works for you!

1 cup mixed frozen fruit (ours included: strawberries, cantaloupe, peach, grapes and pineapple)

1 cup Orange Juice (we used Tropicana)

1/2 cup Vanilla Yogurt 

Crisp Honey Salmon

This recipe is best when you plan in advance. I marinade the fish overnight, and it makes all the difference. The key to delicious salmon, imho, is that it is cooked to perfection, not overdone. Follow the directions below, and you will have found your new, best salmon recipe!

Ingredients:

Salmon (any cut will do)

Honey

Garlic Powder

Salt

Black Pepper

Soy Sauce

Directions:

-Place salmon in the tin/pan you will cook it in

-Spice generously with salt, pepper and garlic powder

-Sprinkle soy sauce, and then generously pour honey so that the entire fish is coated

-Cover with foil, and refrigerate overnight

-The next day: preheat oven to 425

-Bake salmon, uncovered for 17 minutes

I couldn't resist but post these most delicious green beans I made today. Just snip off the ends of the green beans, lay flat on a cookie sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle sea salt, black pepper and garlic powder. Broil for about 20 minutes. DELISH!

Grilled Chicken Fiesta!

It's Thursday Night - Shabbos is on my mind, no time for elaborate dinners! So, here we have a simple grilled chicken platter which includes taco chips, shredded iceberg lettuce, chopped red onion, tomatoes and grilled chicken slices. The grilled chicken was drizzled with olive oil, sea salt and Mrs. Dash, broiled for 10 minutes on each side. Although it is not in the picture, a delicious garlic mayo dressing and salsa accompanied it. 

Tuesday Night Dinner!

Tangy Chicken, White Rice and Green Pepper Stir Fry

I had been debating what to make for dinner all day - I found some chicken thighs in the fridge and went to town spicing them. In my mind, a good piece of chicken needs rice to soak up that gravy, hence the white rice. (this you can make yourself by following the directions on the bag of rice!). And what is dinner without a vegetable? (hence the last minute stir fry)! Stir fry included green pepper and onions, once they were sauteed and soft, I sprinkled a bit of sea salt and soy sauce to complete the flavor. Without further adieu, here is chicken recipe!

Tangy Chicken

4 chicken thighs

1/2 cup steak sauce (I used Shula's http://store.donshula.com/Shula-s-Steak-Sauce.html )

1/4 cup Italian Dressing, such as Wishbone

1 Tablespoon Mustard

1/4 Teaspoon Hot Sauce (I used TexasPete)

Garlic Powder

Black Pepper

Remove skin and rinse chicken thighs

Mix steak sauce, dressing, mustard and hot sauce and pour over chicken

Season with Garlic Powder and Black Pepper

Cover with tin foil and bake @ 375 for an hour

~Enjoy~

Creamy or Chunky Zucchini Soup

 

Ingredients:

 4 Zucchinis

4 Onions

6 cups of water

Salt 

Pepper

Garlic Powder

Directions:

Dice the zucchini and onions.

Pour Oil into a large pot, and saute the zucchini and onions for about an hour, until soft.

Bring to a boil, and then let simmer for 20 minutes.

Add generous amounts of salt, pepper and garlic powder - keep tasting until it is seasoned enough.

To make the soup creamy, use an immersion blender until the soup becomes a smooth consistency.

For chunky, leave as is. 

(I used the immersion blender for about a minute, some of the soup was creamy and some chunky - just the way I like it!)

Garnishes:

To make this soup into something really awesome, I recommend the following. Take a few pieces of gluten free bread (this is what I used: http://www.foodforlife.com/product-catalog/gluten-free-wheat-free-breads/gluten-free/wheat-gluten-free-rice-pecan-bread), spread some butter, sprinkle salt and garlic powder, and toast until the bread is crisp. Once cooled, cut into "cubes" - and you have amazing gluten-free croutons!

I also recommend a dollop of sour cream, or some shredded cheddar cheese.