Chickpea-Powered Mediterranean Couscous

Ingredients:
1 zucchini
8 oz grape tomatoes
2 sprigsThyme (.5 oz)
2 Scallions
2 cloves garlic
1 lemon
1 can Chickpeas
1 teaspoon Paprika
1 Tablespoon Butter
1 cup couscous
1/2 Tablespoon Stock Concentrate
1/2 cup Feta Cheese
Salt & Pepper, to taste
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Directions:

1. Wash and dry all produce. Adjust racks to middle and upper position and preheat to 425 degrees. 
2. Trim zucchini, then cut into 1/2-inches cubes. Halve tomatoes. Strip thyme leaves from stems. Trim, then thinly slice scallions, keeping greens and whites separate. Mince garlic. Halve lemon.
3. Toss zucchini, tomatoes, and half of the thyme leaves on a baking sheet with a drizzle of olive oil. Season with salt & pepper. Roast in oven on middle rack until tender, about 20 minutes, tossing halfway through.
4. Meanwhile, drain and rinse the chickpeas. On another baking sheet, toss chickpeas, paprika, a drizzle of olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast in oven on upper rack until crisp, about 20 minutes, tossing halfway. TIP: The chickpeas may pop-it's natural.
5. Heat 1 Tablespoon butter, garlic, and scallion whites in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Once butter is melted and garlic is fragrant, add couscous and remaining thyme leaves. Toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing until couscous is lightly toasted, 2-3 minutes.
6. Stir stock concentrate and 1 1/2 cups water into pot. Bring to boil, then lower heat and reduce to a simmer. Cook until couscous is al dente, 10-12 minutes.
7. Add half the veggies, half the feta cheese, and squeeze of lemon to pot with couscous and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Divide couscous & veggies between plates, then top with scallion greens and remaining feta cheese.

Chicken with Balsamic Fig Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 lb thin chicken
• 2 shallots
• 2 sprigs rosemary or 2 tsp (remove needles & bundle needles together and chop across)
• 1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
• 2 Shallots
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 1 Tablespoon Chicken stock concentrate
• 1 oz Fig Jam
• Drizzle Olive Oil
• Salt & Pepper, to taste

For side dishes:

• 1/2 lb potatoes
• 3 cups snap peas
• drizzle olive oil
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Pat chicken dry with a paper towel ans season all over with salt and pepper. Cook in pan until no longer pink in center 5-7 minutes per side. Remove from pan and set aside to rest.
2. Lower heat under pan to medium. Add Shallot, chopped rosemary, and a drizzle of olive oil. Cook, tossing, until softened, 2-3 minutes. Stir in balsamic vinegar and fig jam. Simmer until syrupy, about 1 minute. Stir in 1/2 cup water and stock concentrate. Let reduce until saucy, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 TBSP butter. Season with salt & pepper.
3. Thinly slice chicken. Drizzle chicken with sauce. 

I served mine with roasted potatoes & snap peas.

1. Preheat oven to 425°F
2. Cut potatoes in 1/2 inch cubes, toss potatoes and snap peas in olive oil, and a dash of salt & pepper. Toss on baking sheet and cook in oven until tender and browned, 20-25 minutes.

*Leave butter out if you'd like the dish to be dairy free.

* You can sub sweet potatoes for regular potatoes & sub green beans for the snap peas.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies - GF, Dairy Free, Egg Free

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1/3 cup coconut milk (rice, or almond)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3/4 cup white rice flour
• 1/3 cup coconut flour
• 2 Tablespoons GF Starch
• 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (you can buy dairy free chocolate chips, the brand I've seen is Simple Joy)

Directions:

1. Mix together the sugar and oil.
2. Add the milk and vanilla and mix until combined
3. Mix together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
4. Add dry ingredients to wet mixture. Just mixing until you don't see flour. (don't over mix).
5. Add the chocolate chips.

Allow the dough to rest 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Bake cookies on a well greased cookie sheet or silicon mat. Bake 10 minutes or until desired doneness is reached. Let cool on baking sheet 5 minutes before moving to wire rack. *This is to allow cookies to be firm enough to hold shape.

~Recipe adapted from Yammies Guten Freedom

Banana Bread using Brown Sugar

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 1 Hour


Ingredients:

• 4 large very ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 cups flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F
2. Lightly grease loaf pan
3. Melt butter on stove top or in microwave (place paper towel above butter dish if doing it in the microwave.
4. In a large mixing bowl, Add ripe bananas mashing with back of fork. Add the butter and sugar mixing well. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract.
5. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir with a whisk. Add to banana mixture until flour is incoporated, taking care not to overwork the batter. Stir in the walnuts, if using.
6. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake at 350°F for 45 to 65 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few dry crumbs.
7. Cool the bread in the pan for 30 minutes. Remove the bread and cool completely on a wire rack.

Make ahead tips:

• The bread will stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
• Baked and cooled bread can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

Soft Sugar Cookies

Yields: 24 cookies
Cook Time: 15-18 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup (2 sticks) Salted butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar, for rolling

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. set aside.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and baking powder in a medium size bowl. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, using an electric or stand mixer, cream together the butter, and granulated sugar until combined.
4. Add egg yolks and vanilla extract.
5. Add flour mixture and mix until just combined. DO NOT OVERMIX!
6. Using a cookie scoop or ice cream scoop, scoop dough into balls about 2 Tablespoons each roll in sugar and place onto prepared baking sheet.
7. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until tops of cookies start to crack. Let cool for 5 minutes on baking sheet before moving them to a wire rack. Let cool completely on wire rack.

Note:

Storing: Cookies will stay fresh for up to 7 days in an airtight container, stored at room temperature.

Freezing: Roll the dough into balls and place them in an airtight container. You can freeze the cookie dough for up to 2 months. To bake, place frozen cookie dough balls onto prepared baking sheet and bake 16-18 minutes.

~Recipe from Deliciously Sprinkled