Greens and Cornbread Quiche with Bacon (gluten free, milk free)

Greens and Cornbread Quiche

Bacon.

(And fresh greens in a quiche, with a cornbread crust. It is a fun fusion fusion dish fit for brunch.)

This is how it is done:

1 lb farm fresh bacon
4 cups chopped greens (I used kale.)
1 red onion, chopped
1 tbsp finely chopped mushrooms
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp mustard powder
4 large eggs (or 3 duck eggs)
1/4 cup water

1 cup non-GMO cornmeal
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp pepper
2/3 cup water

Preheat the oven to 350F.

In a sauté pan, cook the bacon, leaving it soft. Grease the bottom of a 12" square baking dish (or 14" round) with the drippings. If the bacon is lean, use avocado or coconut oil.

Create the crust: mix the cornmeal, baking powder, and pepper in a bowl. Add the water and stir well. Spoon the mixture into the bottom of the pan.

Mix the greens, mushrooms, and onions together. Layer a quarter of the mixture over the cornbread, followed by a quarter of the bacon, and repeat until all the layers are assembled. Beat the eggs, water and seasoning together in a bowl and evenly pour over the top of the bacon and greens.

Bake until a knife comes out clean, about 45 minutes.

I shared this recipe with Motivation Monday, a weekly roundup of natural recipes and craft ideas.

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Baked Apple Oatmeal (gluten free, no added sugar, dairy free option)

Baked Apple Oatmeal (gluten free, no added sugar, dairy free option)

Amid the morning rush, quietly baking away, could be a belly-warming breakfast filling your kitchen with the aroma of baked apples and cinnamon. The boys ask for Baked Apple Oatmeal often, and  since it is easy, I never tire of making it.

For four generous servings:

5-6 apples, peeled and chopped
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp melted butter or coconut oil

Preheat the oven to 375. Meanwhile, grease a lidded pyrex casserole dish with butter or coconut oil.

To the pyrex dish, add the chopped apples. Sprinkle generously with cinnamon, about a teaspoon, or less for a milder flavour. Sprinkle with the salt. Add the rolled oats and coconut. Hold the lid on the casserole dish and shake the ingredients together. Drizzle the melted butter or coconut oil over the top, then put the lid back on.

Bake for about 45 minutes with the lid on, and another ten with the lid off. Serve right away, with a touch of milk if you like.





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Super Easy Mushroom Pork Chops- without the cans! (low sodium, gluten free)

Super Easy Mushroom Pork Chops - without the cans (gluten free, low sodium)

Pork chops in mushroom sauce is a simple comfort food. While my husband and I grew up in different countries, both of our moms made the same basic recipe. Our version is just as easy as the Old Staple* but uses fresh, whole-food ingredients. The method is essentially the same: assemble everything in a pan and bake it. The result is fork- tender pork chops with a fresh tasting mushroom sauce that you can pour over mashed potatoes. Yum!

For four to six servings:

2-3 lb package of old fashioned pork chops, such as Niman Ranch or direct from a farmer
1/4 lb mushrooms, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped

1/2 cup water
2 tbsp tapioca flour or corn starch
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper 

Preheat the oven to 375F. Grease a large Pyrex baking dish with either coconut oil or a light spray of avocado oil.

Chop the mushrooms and celery. Put half of the mushrooms into the baking dish and place the pork chops on top. Top with the celery and the rest of the mushrooms. In a small bowl, mix the water, tapicoa flour (or starch,) salt and pepper. Gently pour the mixture over the pork chops, being careful not to wash off the mushrooms and celery.

Cover the dish with its lid, foil, or a silicone topper. (I prefer a silicone topper. I bought one at our hospital's gift shop and have also seen them at the hardware store.) Bake, covered, for 45 minutes. Move the cover to let steam escape and bake for another ten minutes or so to thicken the sauce.


*There is a time-honoured recipe that has been passed down like an heirloom for years: pour a can of mushroom soup over your chops and bake them. We gave up cans of creamed soup years ago because of the excess sodium, monosodium glutamate, and, well, the cans themselves. 

One Dish Wonder: Tomato and Ricotta Potato Bake (gluten free, low sodium)

Tomato and Ricotta Potato Bake

Easy, easy easy! Take a few minutes for prep, layer the ingredients in a pan, and pop it in the oven. After about an hour you will be rewarded with a garlicky, cheesy potato dish that is perfect for a side or solo as a meatless entree.

2 medium potatoes
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt or lite salt (omit if using cottage cheese)
tomatoes (four large, eight small)
1/2 lb ricotta or drained cottage cheese
parsley
garlic
basil
2 tbsp parmesan cheese

Finely slice the potatoes. (G-man and the Cadet do not mind the peels, and if you can get away without peeling you will have even less work. Just use the word, "rustic.") Toss the potato slices in olive oil and the salt. Slice the tomatoes.

In a covered casserole dish sprayed with olive oil, assemble the layers: Place a third of the potato slices at the bottom of the dish and sprinkle with garlic, parsley and basil. Top with half of the ricotta and half of the tomato slices. Layer with another third of the potatoes and seasonings, then the rest of the ricotta and tomatoes. For the final layer, arrange the last potato slices over the top. Sprinkle them with the seasonings and parmesan cheese. Gently press down to take out any air bubbles then put the lid on.

Bake at 350 for an hour, or 375 for 45 minutes. 

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One Dish Wonder: Beef and Potato Bake (gluten free, dairy free, low sodium)

One Dish Wonder: Beef and Potato Bake

There were no cans of soup harmed in the making of this hearty bowl of manly-man fare. None opened, nor even purchased, actually. It is just as easy to make a quick beef and potato casserole, with its own creamy mushroom sauce, without the soup! As a bonus, when cooking with grassfed beef, you do not even have to brown the beef first. Just chop, layer, and pop it in the oven. Find something constructive to do for an hour, and return to find that dinner is done! (There is a serving of vegetables stashed in there, too.)

1 lb ground, grassfed beef
4 medium potatoes
1/2 lb mushrooms, finely chopped
3-4 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/4-1/2 tsp salt, or lite salt to further reduce sodium
1/4 tsp black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Chop the mushrooms, celery, and onions and put them together in a bowl. Mix in the salt and pepper. (This replaces the seasoning and moisture of a can of soup.) Chop the potatoes and set aside.

Layer the ingredients into a lidded casserole dish: First, put half of the potatoes, and sprinkle with a handful of the mushroom mixture. Next, spread half of the ground beef on top, followed by chopped mushroom mixture. Top with the remaining potatoes, then mushroom mixture, the rest of the beef, and the rest of the mushroom mixture. Gently press down on the top to fill in the gaps.

Put the lid on and bake for an hour. (If the oven is not quite preheated yet, pop it in as it is and add a couple of minutes to the timer.)


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Spinach and Lentils Lasagna (gluten free option)

Spinach and Lentils Lasagna

Creamy spinach layered with tangy tomatoes and lentils. Gooey mozzarella... We made the Lentils and Chunky Marinara sauce last night and half left in the fridge. The Cadet was asking for pasta, and G-man was begging for cheese. Add a bit of spinach, put it all together and voilá!

1/2 recipe Lentils with Chunky Marinara Sauce
1/2 pound box of lasagna noodles (or gluten free lasagna noodles)
8oz unsalted tomato sauce, canned or homemade
1 block frozen spinach
1 tsp basil (optional)
1 cup plain yogurt
1/2 tsp salt (optional)
1 egg
1 tsp olive oil
4oz mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat the oven to 375F. Meanwhile, prepare the lasagna noodles according to the directions. If you break them in half before you cook them it will be easier to work with them later.

While the pasta is cooking, cook the spinach, either in the microwave or on the stove. Stir in the basil, yogurt and egg, mixing well.

Smear a teaspoon of oil on the bottom and sides of a 12-inch square pyrex dish. Pour half of the plain tomato sauce into the bottom. As soon as the noodles are ready, drain them and arrange a single layer over the bottom. Top with half of the spinach mixture, then another layer of noodles. Top with half of the lentil sauce, another layer of noodles, then the remaining spinach mixture. Arrange the rest of the noodles over top. There should be just enough for another layer if you used a 12-inch pan. Top with the remaining lentil mixture and pour the other half of the plain tomato sauce over top.

Bake for 20 minutes, top with the mozzarella, then bake for another 15 minutes or until the cheese is golden on top. (If you have the time, waiting at least half an hour before cutting it makes it serve easier.)




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Pork, Cabbage and Potato Bake (gluten free)

Pork, Cabbage and PotatoBake (gluten free)

This is really, really easy. Take a couple minutes for chopping and assembly, pop the casserole dish into the oven and dinner will be ready in an hour. In a single dish you will have bites of pork sausage, baked cabbage, and a side of mashed potatoes. Yum!

A few posts ago, I shared almost the same recipe, but with grassfed beef. It is crazy how differently the two versions taste, considering how similarly they are prepared.

2-4 medium potatoes, peeled (if necessary) and sliced
1/2 head cabbage, shredded
1 pound good quality ground pork*
1/4 tsp black pepper
8 oz plain, unsalted tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 375F. Spray a pyrex dish (approximately 12" x 12") with olive oil.

Wash and slice the potatoes and cabbage. Mix the pepper into the ground pork. Mix the tomato sauce, water, and salt together.

Place the potatoes into the bottom of the pan. Layer a third of the cabbage on top of the potatoes. Place half of the pork over the cabbage layer, breaking off bits like little meatballs. Top with a third of the cabbage, the rest of the pork, and the rest of the cabbage. Gently but firmly pack everything down. Pour the tomato sauce over the top.

Bake for an hour.


*The trick is to use lean pork from a small farm, not the typical grocery store variety. It will be leaner and not have grease to pour off.



I shared this recipe with the Hearth and Soul Hop, Allergy Free Wednesday, Gluten Free Wednesday and Healthy 2Day Wednesday and Simple Lives Thursday.

www.stealthymom.com

Beef, Cabbage and Potatoes Bake (gluten free)

Beef, Cabbage and Potato Bake

Beef, Cabbage, and Potatoes. It is hard to go wrong with that time-honoured combination. As a one-dish wonder, you can quickly throw this together, put it in the oven and have dinner ready in an hour. (If your kids aren't picky like ours you can even skip peeling the potatoes!)

2-4 medium potatoes, peeled (if necessary) and sliced
1/2 head cabbage, shredded
1 pound ground grassfed beef*
1/4 tsp black pepper
8 oz plain, unsalted tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 375F. Spray a pyrex dish (approximately 12" x 12") with olive oil.

Wash and slice the potatoes and cabbage. Mix the pepper into the ground beef. Mix the tomato sauce, water, and salt together.

Place the potatoes into the bottom of the pan. Layer a third of the cabbage on top of the potatoes. Place half of the beef over the cabbage layer, breaking off bits like little meatballs. Top with a third of the cabbage, the rest of the beef, and the rest of the cabbage. Gently but firmly pack everything down. Pour the tomato sauce over the top.

Bake for an hour.

*Grassfed beef is leaner than "mystery rolls" from the grocery store, so you will not have to pre-brown it. You can also try old-fashioned ground pork.


I shared this recipe with Fight Back Friday, a weekly collection of natural food recipes submitted by bloggers all over the 'net.

www.stealthymom.com

Pork and Apple Cornbread Casserole (gluten free)

Pork and Apple Cornbread Casserole (gluten free)

I love one-dish wonder meals. This one combines homemade cornbread with fresh apples and pork to bake all at once. If only there was a way to share the aroma... It is fun to see the boys eat this. G-man slowly and meticulously reconstructs every bite on his fork to be a miniature version of the casserole. The Cadet, whom we sometimes call "Baby Carnivore," eats the meat first, then the cornbread, and the apples last. Whatever works.

(A point of pride, there are no factory farm or GMO ingredients. We're getting there!)

Gluten Free Corn Bread

Gluten Free Corn Bread 

Cornbread. For anyone who can't have wheat flour and misses this moist-yet-crumbly quick bread, I have a treat for you! Enjoy it with a big pot of beans or on its own with butter and honey.

1 cup non-GMO corn meal
1 cup Bob's Red Mill gluten free flour
1/4 tsp xanthan gum (if on hand)
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

1 cup milk
2 eggs
1/4 cup blackstrap molasses

Preheat the oven to 375F. Grease a 12-inch square baking pan with either coconut oil or butter.

Mix all dry ingredients together in one bowl. Add the milk, eggs and molasses. Mix it together really well, then pour it all into the baking pan.

Bake until a knife comes out clean, about 20 minutes.


[This particular pan made me proud. Living in a rural area, it has taken me months to find all of the ingredients to get it just right: non-GMO corn meal, non-GMO and non-aluminum baking powder, local barnyard eggs, fair trade molasses and grass-fed milk.]


I shared this recipe with these natural recipe collections: Fight back Friday,  Foodie Friday,  Fat Tuesday,  Slightly Indulgent Tuesday the Hearth and Soul Hop,  Gluten Free Wednesdays and Real Food Wednesday.


www.stealthymom.com

Baked Chicken with Garlic Potatoes (gluten free)

Baked Chicken with Garlic Potatoes 

Traditionally seasoned chicken baked over chunky-cut potatoes. The chicken becomes perfectly tender with a crispy skin. Drippings brown the potatoes underneath, elevating them from a basic staple to restaurant-worthy. No one needs to know you can prep this one-dish wonder in minutes.

2 lbs (about 4 pieces) organic chicken thighs
5 medium potatoes
1/4 cup parmesan cheese (optional)
1 tsp garlic powder
parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme*

Bacon, Beans and Taters Bake (reduced sodium, gluten free)

Bacon.* Beans. Taters. Simple, solid food. If your family likes bacon, this one-dish wonder will be a hit!  Everything is layered into a casserole dish so that the flavours percolate downward.

 Bacon, Beans and Taters Bake

Homemade Chicken Nuggets (GF, low sodium)

Homemade Chicken Nuggets with Rutabaga Fries and Fool Ranch Dressing

Anyone with kids out there who like chicken nuggets? Recipe after recipe, I have tried to make nuggets that "pass." It really is funny, considering that G-man and the Cadet refuse to eat pizza at a restaurant because is doesn't taste like what we make at home.  They pace around for homemade cookies, and cheerfully call a frozen banana smoothie a "milkshake." So what's up with nuggets? C'mon, G-man... that place with the big letter M on a stick is really not that good... This is the first time that kid ate chicken nuggets at home without coaxing. We have a winner!*

Broccoli and Cheese Casserole (gluten free)

Broccoli and Cheese Casserole (gluten free)

This is a one-dish wonder: broccoli, cauliflower, grated potatoes, milk and cheese are layered into a casserole dish. After baking, you get a baked broccoli with a rich cheese sauce. The flavours of the potatoes and cauliflower blend in.

Pizza Quiche

Pizza Quiche on Whole Wheat Crust

Eggs can be tricky with G-man, who always claims not to like them until he takes a bite. Lea over at Nourishing Treasures posted a recipe for egg casserole. The photos look divine, and it got me scheming about eggs and cheese. No matter what the food, the most effective way to get G-man to try it is to put it on a pizza. (The Cadet will eat pretty much anything.)

For the crust, I used whole wheat flour for a quick, no-knead dough. When forming the pizza crust, I made it thin with a raised edge to contain the quiche. You could make whatever kind of quiche you want; we enjoyed tomatoes, green peppers, mushrooms and cheddar topped with mozzarella. Our kids tore into it, veggies and all!

For one, 14" Pizza:

3/4 cups warm water
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp yeast
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt (Totally optional. We rarely add it to "save" on sodium.)
olive oil

2 medium tomatoes, diced or 1 can chopped tomatoes, drained
1 green pepper
4 oz mushrooms
4 chicken eggs (or 3 duck eggs)
4 oz grated cheddar
4 oz grated mozzarella
1/4 tsp basil
1/4 tsp oregano

Prepare the pizza dough: Dissolve sugar and yeast in warm water. In a medium bowl, mix the flour and garlic powder. As soon as the yeast is totally dissolved, add it to the flour all at once and stir it in. With a mixing spoon, scrape all of the flour off of the sides and stir it into the forming dough ball. Once all of the flour is in the dough ball, pour a bit of olive oil into to bowl (about a teaspoon) and gently roll the ball in it to coat. Set the ball aside to rest for at least five minutes. Fifteen is better if you have the time.

Preheat the oven to 400F. (Our oven is fast, so we set it to 390F)

Form the crust: Pour about a tablespoon of olive oil onto the center of a cookie sheet. With your hands, smear the oil around the pan, a few inches from the center. Oil on your hands will help quickly make the crust. Place the dough ball in the middle, and press it out into a larger circle, working from the center out, until you have about a fourteen inch circle. Press the circle so it is it uniform with extra at the edge. Fold up and pinch the edge all the way around to make a ridge, three-quarters of an inch deep. Set the crust aside and allow it to rise while you prepare the rest of the pizza.

Prepare the quiche: Either drain a can of unsalted, chopped tomatoes or chop up two medium tomatoes. Slice the green peppers to half-inch cubes, and dice the mushrooms. Crack the eggs into the bowl you used to make your dough. Whisk them then stir in the veggies, grated cheddar, basil and oregano. Pour the mixture into the pizza crust and top it all with mozzarella.

Bake for about 19-20 minutes. If your oven is uneven, turn the pizza after 15 minutes to ensure even browning.

[If you are using canned tomatoes, you can drain them ahead of time and use the juice to make the pizza dough. Yeast does not mind a bit of acidity. Just add enough water to make three-quarters of a cup of liquid total. Warm the juice up before adding the sugar and yeast.]

[Unbleached white flour can also be used. Allow extra time to rest, at least ten minutes, before forming the crust on the pan. Allow it half an hour to rise, if you have the time, before baking.]


I shared this recipe at Meatless Mondays and Make Your Own Monday,  Fat Tuesday, and Real Food Wednesday,  Healthy 2Day Wednesday, Simple Lives Thursday,  Full Plate Thursday, the Ultimate Recipe Swap, and the Friday Vegetarian Potluck, weekly roundups of natural recipes.

www.stealthymom.com

Easy Broccoli Soup (gluten free, low sodium)

Easy Broccoli Soup

I used to know only two ways to get broccoli soup: the "right" way, with stock, cream, and a roux, and the canned way.  The canned way will net you a lot of sodium (750mg per "serving" of Campbell's) and a hefty dose of monosodium glutamate. Many restaurants use frozen soups and stocks, so "home made" while dining out can be as chemically-laden as canned. In high school, a great Chef taught me how to make it the right way, and it took all day.

For today's lunch, we had Broccoli Soup, the EASY way, in about an hour, with no cans, stock, or bouillon.

Fiesta Chicken (gluten free, low sodium)

Fiesta Chicken

One-pot meals are great, but one-baking-dish meals are even better. This meal took about ten minutes' of prep time, and an hour and a half of baking. I popped it in the oven and walked away...  When I came back, there were golden potatoes nestled in under tender chicken, and the whole thing was covered in roasted bell peppers.

Fast and Easy Veggie Chowder (gluten free, vegan, low sodium)

Fast and EasyVeggie Chowder 

How about a nice, rich bowl of vegetable chowder? In about an hour, you can make this soup without stocks, cans, or boullion.

Our three-year-old helped make this; I chopped and he added to the pot. As we worked, G-man sampled the raw mushrooms, carrots, and celery. He was proud of our creation and I was happy to see him and his little brother getting so many vegetables in one sitting.

Chicken Garbanzo Bake (gluten free, low sodium)

Chicken Garbanzo Bake

G-man helped make lunch today: Chicken Garbanzo Bake. He stirred up the sauce, tasting how tart tomatoes with a touch of sweet molasses combine perfectly. I held my breath as he sampled the plain garbanzos.

[I had made the mistake a few months ago of calling them "chick peas," and he had decided he did not like peas any more. Chick peas are peas, right? They taste more like a peanut. Technically, they are legumes like peas, but so are peanuts. He was not convinced. We looked at one up close. See how they are round, yellow, and have tiny little beaks? They look like chicks. They aren't really peas... Peas are green. Our three year-old just stared as I tried to win him over with logic.]

Easy Potato Soup (gluten free, low sodium)

Easy Potato Soup (gluten free, low sodium)

G-man made supper tonight. Seriously, all I did was chop up the potatoes and carrots, slice a few rings off an onion and measure out milk. He put it all in the pot. We turned on the heat, gave it an occasional stir and enjoyed homemade potato soup in less than an hour. No roux, no cream, no fuss.

For four large servings:

5 medium potatoes, peeled
1 cup peeled and chopped carrots (optional)
5 cups milk
1 cup water
2 tbsp sliced onion
1/2 tsp salt or lite salt
1 tsp dried parsley

Thinly slice three of the potatoes and coarsely cube the rest. The thin slices will dissolve, thickening the soup. Put all ingredients in a pot and turn on the heat. Leave the lid off the pot and stir the soup as it comes to a boil. Reduce the heat and stir occasionally until the larger chunks of potato are rounded and start to fall apart. Turn off the heat for a few minutes and serve.


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I shared this at Sunday Night Soup Night,  Gluten Free Wednesday ,  Healthy 2day Wednesday,  Real Food Wednesday,  and Full Plate Thursday,  Simple Lives Thursday and the Ultimate Recipe Swap.