Silky Gingered Zucchini Soup ~ Instant Pot

For over two years, we have been enjoying our adaptation of Melissa Joulwan’s Silky Gingered Zucchini Soup.  You'd think that by now we'd be tired of it and would have moved on to a different favorite soup, but truth be told, I can still eat this soup every.single.day, especially for breakfast.  It's a great way to get in some healthy bone both and it's always warm and satisifying.  It's perfectly labled by Melissa as “a healthy hug in a bowl.”  Though a simple recipe to make on the stove, it's now even easier and quicker using our Instant Pot.  Though we have the 8-qt. Instant Pot, it still holds less than our big stock pot, so I've adjusted the amounts from the stovetop recipe.  This recipe will work in either a 6-qt. or 8-qt. Instant Pot. Remember, if you do freeze the soup, you’ll need to puree it again once thawed, either by placing it in the blender or using an immersion blender.  So, if you have an abundance of zucchini or need a warm hug, make this soup!!

Silky Gingered Zucchini Soup ~ Instant Pot (adapted from here)

• 1 TBS. beef tallow or coconut oil
• 1 med. onion, diced
• 5 large fresh garlic cloves
• 1 TBS. ground ginger
• 1 TBS. ground coriander
• 1 1/2 tsp. Himalayan salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
• 3 lbs. zucchini, cut in 1/2 moons or leftover pieces
• 6 cups beef bone broth, (can also use chicken bone broth or Cheaters Chicken Soup,vegetable stock, or any mix of broth you choose)

Turn on saute mode and heat the beef tallow or coconut oil in the liner of the Instant Pot.  Add the onions and sauté until caramelized.  Add the garlic, ginger, coriander, salt & pepper.  Cook stirring continuously until toasted and fragrant, about 2 minutes.  Add the bone broth and zucchini. Press Keep warm/Cancel button to stop the sauté.  Secure the lid and move the vent to closed.  Press Manuel and using the -/+ buttons, adjust the time to 10 minutes.  Once the 10 minutes are finished, allow for NPR (natural pressure release).  Once the pressure has dropped and the pin falls, remove the lid.   Use an immersion blender to puree the soup, or use a blender to carefully puree (use a towel to hold the lid on the blender on whilst pureeing.) Adjust salt and pepper seasoning. Serve hot.

Enjoy!

Malaysian Chicken Curry ~ Instant Pot

We very rarely eat out at restaurants, but when we do, it is most often Asian restaurants of one variety or another,  One of our favorite places to have a meal is in the food court of the Atlanta Chinatown Mall.  While we enjoy food from many of the different restaurants, and have our favorite dish from each, when Mama wants comfort food, it's usually the chicken curry from Hong Kong BBQ.   (It's not listed on their online-menu, but it's always available on their whiteboard menu.)  They have a Malaysian chef who creates the most flavorful and creamy curry and we just had to attempt to make it at home.  We also wanted to be able to replicate the curry in a healthy and fast way, and using the Instant Pot, we have.  Though this recipe contains quite a bit of chili pepper, it is not overly hot, closer to low-medium heat, and we leave in the seeds from the fresh Thai chilis.  If you're worried about heat, leave out the fresh Chili but we'd advise using at least half, if not all, of the red chili powder.  We serve this over Toasted Cauli-rice, but whatever you choose to serve it over, it's delicious!!  



Malaysian Chicken Curry ~ Instant Pot

• 3.5 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 14 oz. can coconut milk
• 2 medium sweet onions, cut into 8ths
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 2 tsp. ground cardamom
• 2 tsp. Chinese five spice powder
• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 2 tsp. ground turmeric
• 4 tsp. ground coriander
• 2 fresh Thai red chilis (optional) diced, seeds left in or out
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Add the coconut milk and all the dry spices to the Instant Pot liner.  Stir to combine.  Add the chicken, onion & Thai red chilis and stir to coat everything well.  Close the lid and move vent to closed.  Set high pressure for 10 minutes.  After the 10 min. cook time, quick release the pressure. Stir in the fresh cilantro.  Serve over Toasted Cauli-Rice.

Enjoy!!

Gluten Free Cassava Flour French Crepes

Maisie's crepes filled with Nutella...Yumminess!

Maisie adores crepes, but as she's gluten free, they haven't in the past come always out as delicious or as close to regular crepes as we would have liked.  That was until we started using cassava flour in place of other flours.  Cassava crepes cook up beautifully and taste gorgeous! The only difference when making cassava crepes compared to those made with all-purpose flour is, they need to be cooked a bit longer, because cassava flour can tend to produce a gummier texture.  But, if the crepes are cooked just that little bit longer, they come out perfect with the right amount of elasticity, chew and with no gumminess.  The crepes hold together well and reheat beautifully.  We store them in the refrigerator, folded in quarters, stacked one upon another and wrapped tightly with plastic wrap to keep in the moisture. Reheat time in the microwave is 10-15 seconds.   

Gluten Free Cassava Flour French Crepes

• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 4TBS. melted ghee or butter
• 1 tsp. sugar, (optional to use, or can use any sweetener of your choice)
• ½ tsp. sea salt
• ¾ cup cassava flour
• 2 c. milk (I use whole milk)
• ½ tsp. vanilla bean paste  or vanilla extract (for sweet crepes only)
• ghee or butter for frying

Add the eggs to the jar of a blender and process on medium-high for about one minute.  Add the melted ghee, sugar & salt.  Blend until fully combined,  Add the milk and process on medium-high for one minute.  Stop and add the cassava flour.  Process on high for two minutes then reduce to low for an additional 2 minutes, so that most of the air bubbles are removed.  (This whole process can be done in a bowl with beaters but it doesn't blend quite as well so the batter would need to be strained through a fine sieve to remove any remaining lumps before frying.)

Heat a crepe or fry pan on medium and add enough ghee or butter to lightly coat the pan.  For a 7-inch pan I use 1/8 cup of the batter.  Once pan is heated add the batter and swirl pan to evenly spread the batter.  Allow the crepe to cook until the edges start to brown.  Use an offset spatula to release the edge of the crepe from the pan.  Once the edges start to curl, gently place offset spatual under the crepe and flip the crepe over.  Cook the second side for 15-20 seconds, until lightly browned.  To remove crepe from pan, Turn pan over and bang onto a foil lined baking sheet.  

Immediately add new batter to the pan and repeat the process.  If the batter does not spread well and sputters, your pan is too hot.  Also, because there is so much ghee/butter in the batter, I never find it necessary to re-grease my pan after the inital time.  Because the pan in the beginning will be "over greased," the first one or two crepes don't spread and come out well, but enjoy them as they are for the cook and though not perfect, definitely delicious.   

Enjoy!

Dry Fried Eggplant

For people who love all sorts of food, we dine out very, very infrequently.  When we do go to a restaurant it’s generally to the local Szechuan restaurant where the food reminds us of our time in China. 
One of our favorite dishes, which we always order, is Dry Fried Eggplant.  This is our attempt to recreate the dish and honestly we are pretty darn close.  Though this dish is almost spot on, I will say that it’s often easier to just go out and enjoy someone else’s cooking and having them do the cleaning up too! 
Dry Fried Eggplant

• Coconut oil for frying
• 1/2 cup tapioca flour
• Himalayan salt, to taste
• 1 tsp. ground Szechuan peppercorns (dried prickly ash)
• 1 tsp. hot paprika 
• 1 1/2 lbs. Chinese eggplant, stem removed and cut lengthwise into 2-3 inch-long “steak” fries
• 1/2 bunch cilantro leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp. Szechuan peppercorns, flakes

Heat oil (deep enough to come halfway up the thickness of the eggplant fries) in a heavy bottomed cast iron pan and heat to approximately 350F.  Place a wire rack over several layers of paper towels for draining after frying.  Mix together the tapioca flour, salt, ground Szechuan peppercorns and paprika and place on a large rimmed baking sheet.  Lightly moisten the eggplant fries with water and then lightly coat the fries with the tapioca flour mixture, shaking off and discarding any excess.  Working in batches, carefully fry the eggplant, turning when necessary, until lightly golden brown and tender in the center.  Remove the fries to the prepared cooling rack.  Plate and sprinkle on the cilantro and Szechuan peppercorn flakes.
Enjoy!

Sweet & Sour Un-Stuffed Cabbage Soup

We adore stuffed cabbage but making it can be awfully time consuming. Enter Un-Stuffed Cabbage Soup, tastes just as delicious and takes just a fraction of the work and time to make.  We make this for a quick hearty meal in the pressure cooker which cuts the time even more, but it’s just as easily made in a pot on the stovetop.
Sweet & Sour Un-Stuffed Cabbage Soup 

• olive oil
• 1/2 lb chuck steak, 1/2-inch dice, seasoned with salt & pepper
• 1 lg onion, diced
• 8-10 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 lb ground beef
• 2 medjool dates, chopped
• 1/4 cup raisins
• juice of one lemon
• 1 tsp. sour salt
• 28 oz. can whole plum tomatoes
• 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 4 c. chicken or beef stock
• 1 small head green cabbage, roughly chopped
• salt & pepper to taste

(I make this in a pressure cooker but you can use a soup pot.)
Heat the olive oil and then sear the chuck steak cubes on all sides until browned. Remove the steak from the pot and set aside.  To the same pot add the onions and sauté until they begin to caramelize.  Add the garlic and ground beef and cook until the beef is browned.  Return the steak to the pot and add all the remaining ingredients.  Cook until the cabbage is tender. (I use a pressure cooker, 15 minutes at high pressure and then I let it cool to reduce the pressure instead of just releasing the valve)  Salt and pepper to to taste.  This is good the first day but gets better after it sits a day or two.
Enjoy!

No-Bake Energy Bites

It seems like forever ago, a friend, Alison, posted a recipe on Facebook for these No-Bake Energy Bites and we thought they would be a hit with Maisie.  That thought was immediately confirmed when Alison shared some of the ones she made with Maisie and she begged to make them that very night!  We have made these bites numerous times and they’re still a requested favorite.  They are simple to make and hold up well in her lunch and gym snack bags. 

The original recipe came from Maggie’s blog, Smashed Peas & Carrots, where she states “You can substitute almost anything for any of the ingredients to work around food allergies, special diets, etc. Soybutter, almond butter, cashew butter, sun butter, etc all works in place of peanut butter. You can use creamed or liquid honey, or agave nectar or even maltitol syrup in place of the honey. If you do not like or cannot eat coconut try some type of crushed cereal, wheat germ, whole wheat flour, granola, cocoa powder...the possibilities are really endless. If you cannot find ground flaxseed you can buy it whole and grind it yourself in a coffee grinder or magic bullet or you can substitute any other dry ingredient in it's place. Yes, the mini chocolate chips can be regular sized or carob or you can use raisins, cranberries, goji berries, or crushed nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts, whatev) of some kind.”  We have stuck to the recipe below because it’s a winner in Maisie’s book but if you try other options, let us know what you did and how they turned out!

No-Bake Energy Bites  (from here)

• 1 cup oatmeal 
• 1/2 cup peanut butter  (or other nut butter)
• 1/3 cup honey  
• 1 cup coconut flakes  
• 1/2 cup ground flaxseed   
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate bits  
• 1 tsp vanilla 

In a medium bowl, mix everything above together until thoroughly incorporated. Let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour. Once chilled, roll into balls. Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Enjoy!

Grilled Pizza Sandwich

It’s crazy that it’s already April, I swear that time is passing at breakneck speed.  Flowers in the garden are popping up and blooming, Maisie’s level 7 gymnastics season is over and as crazy as it sounds, she has only twenty days left in fifth grade and in her current school.  It feels like we just celebrated Christmas yet here we are planning for summer and some time off!!  And here it is again, Secret Recipe Club time.  This month our assignment was Nicole’s blog, Daily Dish Recipes.  We all had fun perusing Nicole’s blog and drooled over many of her recipes, including her garlic herb spiralizer fries, chicken scampi appetizer bites and her asparagus dip, but when Maisie saw Nicole’s grilled pizza sandwich she was all over it and the decision was done and made. 

The sandwich was super simple to make and as it uses everyday ingredients, we had everything in the house.  We of course adapted Nicole’s recipe to fit Maisie’s allergies and her tastes.  The wonderful thing about this sandwich is that it can be adapted any way you’d like.

The sandwich was a huge hit with Maisie, who ate the entire thing in record time, because in her words, “it’s delicious and I’m starving after practice.”

Grilled Pizza Sandwich (adapted from here)

• for each sandwich, 2 slices of A-Maisie-ingly Wonderful Gluten Free Bread or bread of your choice
• butter, softened
• Whole milk mozzarella cheese, freshly grated
• mini pepperoni slices
• garlic powder
• pizza or spaghetti sauce of your choice

Lightly butter one side of each slice of bread.  Lay one buttered side down in a cold pan and turn the pan on to medium low.  Immediately start building the sandwich with a layer of mozzarella, then add the pepperoni, a dash of garlic powder and top with the remaining slice of buttered bead, buttered side facing the ceiling.  Cover the pan and allow the sandwich to cook until the bottom is golden brown then flip the sandwich over, cover again and cook until the bottom is again golden.  Remove from pan, slice and serve with pizza sauce or spaghetti sauce.

Enjoy!

My previous Secret Recipe Club Recipe Posts: 

Roasted Tomato & Red Pepper Mascarpone Soup 
Hearty Bacon, Turkey & Vegetable Frittata 
Chicken Satay with Sunbutter “Peanut” Sauce 
Asian Pork Chops 
Mango Salsa 
Pomegranate Molasses Salad Dressing 
Beef Keema  
Roasted Grape Tomato, Garlic & Poblano Ragu
Mexican Feast: Cream of Ancho Chile Soup, Roasted Poblano Burger with Chile de Arbol Guacamole & Pork Crusted Baked Poblano Fries 
Zesty Zucchini Skillet 
Garlic Seafood in Coconut Milk 
Lamb & Eggplant with Chiles
Fijian Ceviche
Carrot & Sweet Potato Pancakes   
Chicken Burgers with Spinach & Mushrooms 
Paradise Mango Curried Shrimp 
Laura Goodenough’s Apple Coffee Cake 
Loaded Potato Soup
Lemon Almond Biscotti 
Creamy Mints 
Thai Peanut Noodles with Chicken 
Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings 
Fried Green Tomatoes 
Chicken Satay Noodle Salad 
Double Chocolate Mousse Cake 
Candied Popcorn
Fruit, Nut & Poppy Seed Chicken Salad 
Broiled Sushi 
Health(ier) Peanut Brittle 
Crunchy Fudgy Heart Bites 
Texas Chicken with Lime Butter 
Pork Belly Soup with Collard Greens 
Thin Mint Irish Coffee 
Levain Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies 
Welsh Cakes 
Nutella Crêpes 
Cilantro Lime Chicken 
Holy Guacamole 
and
Home Style Chicken Curry

Check out the new SRC blog for more exciting recipes from past reveals

An InLinkz Link-up

Silky Gingered Zucchini Soup

We could eat this soup every.single.day and sometimes we go for weeks at a time doing just that!  Such a simple, healthy soup and it’s beyond delicious!  We found the recipe originally on Melissa Joulwan’s blog, The Clothes Make the Girl and in her cookbook, Well Fed 2.  Melissa labels this soup as “a healthy hug in a bowl” which is such a fitting description for this soup.  We make this soup when we gather up enough leftover pieces of zucchini after spiralizing it when making another of Melissa’s recipes, Zucchini Noodles Aglio et Olio (freeze the extra pieces until you have enough.)  We also make this soup when we have an abundance of fresh zucchini.  When we have an abundance of zucchini, we make a huge pot and freeze the soup in 4-6 cup containers.  If you do freeze the soup, you’ll need to puree it again once thawed, either by placing it in the blender or using an immersion blender.  So, if you have an abundance of zucchini or need a warm hug, make this soup!!

Silky Gingered Zucchini Soup (adapted from here)

• 2 TBS. coconut oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 10 large fresh garlic cloves
• 2 TBS. ground ginger
• 2 TBS. ground coriander
• 1 TBS. Himalayan salt
• 1 TBS. fresh ground pepper
• 6 lbs. zucchini, cut in 1/2 moons or leftover pieces
• 12 cups chicken bone broth or Cheaters Chicken Soup (can also use beef,vegetable or any mix of broth you choose)

Heat the coconut oil in a large soup pot.  Add the onions and sauté low and slow, until caramelized.  Add the garlic, ginger, coriander, salt & pepper.  Cook stirring continuously until toasted and fragrant, about 2 minutes.  Add the chicken broth and zucchini.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.  Allow the soup to cook for 45-60 minutes, until the zucchini is very soft.  Once the zucchini is soft, use an immersion blender to puree the soup, or use a blender to carefully puree (use a towel to hold the lid on the blender on whilst pureeing.)  Serve hot.

Enjoy!

Crack Slaw

So a friend of ours (hi Heather!! Big wave!) posted a picture and recipe for a dish called Crack Slaw. It looked like a simple and delicious dish so we decided to give it a try.  Heather said that it’s one of those dishes that you adjust the amounts to make it your own and that’s just what we did.  Here is our delicious version of Crack Slaw.  Crack Slaw

• 1 lb. ground beef 
• 2 tsp. Red Boat Fish Sauce
• fresh ground pepper
• 2 TBS. toasted sesame oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3 scallions (green onions,)  white and green parts sliced in rings
• 1 TBS. minced fresh ginger
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes, more or less to your desired heat
• 1 lb coleslaw mix with carrots
• 2 TBS. coconut aminos
• 1 tsp. kombucha vinegar, or white vinegar

In a large skillet brown the ground beef and season with the fish sauce and ground pepper.  Remove from pan and set aside.  In the same pan, heat the sesame oil and sauté the garlic, green onions, ginger & red pepper flakes until fragrant.  Add the coleslaw mix and cook until desired tenderness. (I like it so that it still had a bit of crunch.)  Stir in the coconut aminos and the vinegar and add back in the reserved beef and any accumulated juices.  Serve hot or cold, great either way!.

Enjoy!

Asian Pork Chops

This month for Secret Recipe Club I was assigned the wonderful blog The Keenan Cookbook written by Chris and Rachel.  They post recipes twice weekly and mouthwatering recipes they are.  Chris and Rachel cooked from our blog back in March of 2012 when they made our Apple Dumpings so now it was time to cook from theirs.  There were so many delicious recipes including Grilled ginger chicken with peach salsa, and a perfectly delicious looking Green bean & tomato salad with lime & sesame dressing but the recipe that called to us this month was the Asian pork chops. 

Once again to better fit with our diet I made just a couple of small changes to the recipe.  I substituted Coconut Aminos for the soy sauce and a Medjool date for the brown sugar.  Otherwise I followed the recipe.  I allowed the pork chops to marinate overnight and then grilled them and WOW were they delicious!  Maisie has asked that I use the same marinade on chicken and steak so that is going to happen very soon.  Thank you Chris and Rachel for an awesome recipe and hop on over to The Keenan Cookbook for the original recipe and more amazing food recipes.  

Asian Pork Chops (Adapted from here)

• 4 5-ounce bone in or boneless pork loin chops, trimmed
• 2 tablespoons Coconut Aminos  
• 1 Medjool date, pitted 
• 2 teaspoons grated, peeled fresh ginger
• 1 large garlic clove
• 1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil   
• 1/2 teaspoon 5-Spice power 
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Add all the ingredients except the pork chops and sesame seeds to a blender and process until will mixed.  Place the pork in a large Ziploc bag and add the marinade and sesame seeds.  Seal and place in refrigerator over night to marinate overnight in the refrigerator.  Remove the pork chops from the marinade and grill over medium high heat about 4 minutes per side until done.  Allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving. 

Enjoy!!

My previous Secret Recipe Club Recipe Posts: 

Mango Salsa 
Pomegranate Molasses Salad Dressing 
Beef Keema  
Roasted Grape Tomato, Garlic & Poblano Ragu
Mexican Feast: Cream of Ancho Chile Soup, Roasted Poblano Burger with Chile de Arbol Guacamole & Pork Crusted Baked Poblano Fries 
Zesty Zucchini Skillet 
Garlic Seafood in Coconut Milk 
Lamb & Eggplant with Chiles
Fijian Ceviche
Carrot & Sweet Potato Pancakes   
Chicken Burgers with Spinach & Mushrooms 
Paradise Mango Curried Shrimp 
Laura Goodenough’s Apple Coffee Cake 
Loaded Potato Soup
Lemon Almond Biscotti 
Creamy Mints 
Thai Peanut Noodles with Chicken 
Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings 
Fried Green Tomatoes 
Chicken Satay Noodle Salad 
Double Chocolate Mousse Cake 
Candied Popcorn
Fruit, Nut & Poppy Seed Chicken Salad 
Broiled Sushi 
Health(ier) Peanut Brittle 
Crunchy Fudgy Heart Bites 
Texas Chicken with Lime Butter 
Pork Belly Soup with Collard Greens 
Thin Mint Irish Coffee 
Levain Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies 
Welsh Cakes 
Nutella Crêpes 
Cilantro Lime Chicken 
Holy Guacamole 
and
Home Style Chicken Curry

Check out the new SRC blog for more exciting recipes from past reveals

An InLinkz Link-up

Beef Keema

This month for Secret Recipe Club I was assigned Ilona’s blog Ilonaskitchen.  Ilona’s blog is chockfull of wonderfully delicious sounding recipes but when Indian food lovers like us happened upon not one, not two, but three keema recipes, well we knew what would be making an appearance in our home this month.  Out of the three recipes that Ilona had posted, we decided on this version as she made it once without the addition of coconut milk and then revisited the recipe making it a second time with the coconut milk, so we figured if she loved it the first time and went back to add in an ingredient as delicious as coconut milk, well it just had to be really, really good.  And good it was, totally delicious in fact and the creaminess of the coconut milk with the spiciness of the meat…pure perfection!

Of course there were a few changes we made to the original recipe.  We really love intense flavors so we cut the amount of meat back but kept the original amount of spice.  Also, we haven’t been eating white potatoes or peas so we swapped out the white potato with sweet potato and just nixed the peas.  We enjoyed the Beef Keema with Plantain Wraps, which kept our meal gluten and grain free but totally flavorful and satisfying.  Enjoy this version or Ilona’s version, either way you won’t be disappointed.

Beef Keema (adapted from here)

• 1 tablespoon Ghee
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 TBS. minced fresh ginger
• 2 TBS. Madras curry powder
• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled & cut into 1/4-inch chunks
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• One 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
• One 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
• Chopped fresh cilantro, for serving

In a large skillet, over medium high heat, heat the ghee. Add the ground beef, seasoning with salt and pepper.  Cook, breaking the meat apart into small pieces, until there is no pink left.  Add the onion, garlic, ginger & curry powder. Stir and cook until the onion has softened, about 5-7 minutes.  Stir in the sweet potato, making sure to coat it with all the flavors in the pan. Add the broth, coconut milk and canned tomatoes.  Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer, and cook until the sweet potatoes are tender and the sauce has thickened, about 15-20 minutes.  Using a wooden spoon, crush about half of the sweet potatoes into the broth.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve sprinkled with chopped cilantro, accompanied by plantain wraps, naan or chapati.

Enjoy!!

My previous Secret Recipe Club Recipe Posts: 

Roasted Grape Tomato, Garlic & Poblano Ragu
Mexican Feast: Cream of Ancho Chile Soup, Roasted Poblano Burger with Chile de Arbol Guacamole & Pork Crusted Baked Poblano Fries 
Zesty Zucchini Skillet 
Garlic Seafood in Coconut Milk 
Lamb & Eggplant with Chiles
Fijian Ceviche
Carrot & Sweet Potato Pancakes   
Chicken Burgers with Spinach & Mushrooms 
Paradise Mango Curried Shrimp 
Laura Goodenough’s Apple Coffee Cake 
Loaded Potato Soup
Lemon Almond Biscotti 
Creamy Mints 
Thai Peanut Noodles with Chicken 
Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings 
Fried Green Tomatoes 
Chicken Satay Noodle Salad 
Double Chocolate Mousse Cake 
Candied Popcorn
Fruit, Nut & Poppy Seed Chicken Salad 
Broiled Sushi 
Health(ier) Peanut Brittle 
Crunchy Fudgy Heart Bites 
Texas Chicken with Lime Butter 
Pork Belly Soup with Collard Greens 
Thin Mint Irish Coffee 
Levain Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies 
Welsh Cakes 
Nutella Crêpes 
Cilantro Lime Chicken 
Holy Guacamole 
and
Home Style Chicken Curry

An InLinkz Link-up

Plantian Wraps

Maisie, because of her allergies has been gluten, egg and dairy free for a couple of years.  I have never been a huge bread lover so I haven’t missed not having bread in the house and it’s done us no harm not having all the baked goods either.  Then about a year ago I cut all gluten/grains from my diet so gluten-free breads and corn tortillas were no longer on my plate, though Maisie continues to eat them.  Not eating grains I have come to love plain burgers on a plate and chicken and various other “sandwich” salads served in lettuce wraps.  Then I saw a number of recipes for plantain tortillas/wraps/bread and they captured my attention.  Some of the recipes were very plain, plantains, water, salt & pepper and then others included the addition of coconut or tapioca flour.  Some of the recipes called for green plantains while others wanted partially ripe yellow ones.  In the end I put together my own version and we’ve been happily enjoying them, warm or cold, wrapping a whole variety of foods. 

We enjoy the slight banana taste of the ripe plantain so yellow with a few dark spots works perfect for us.

 This recipe is beyond simple as all the ingredients are added to a blender and then once smooth, dollops are spread into rounds on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and baked until golden.  Easy-peasy!!

Oh and don’t judge but my favorite filling for these Plantain Wraps is a slightly rare, cold, broiled chicken liver…Even if you hate liver, give these Plantain Wraps a try, they’re really quite amazing. 

Plantain Wraps

• 3 large yellow plantains
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 large cloves of garlic
• 1 tsp. Himalayan salt 
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 400F.  Line three baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.  Cut each plantain into a few pieces and then score and pry off the peel.   Place the peeled plantain pieces and all the other ingredients into a blender and process until smooth and about the consistency of yogurt.  Add additional water if necessary.  Using a large cookie scoop (approx 3 TBS) portion out the plantain mixture for 6 wraps per sheet (will only have 3-5 on the third baking sheet) and then using a small offset spatula smooth the batter for each wrap to an approximate 5-inch round.  Bake for 10 minutes and then rotate the pans to different shelves and turn each pan for even cooking, and bake for approximately 5 minutes longer until the wraps are golden and puffed.  Remove from the oven and allow the wraps to cool on the baking sheets.  Then easily peel the wraps off the parchment paper and enjoy.  Store the wraps in either a Ziplock bag or sealed container in the refrigerator.  There is no need to layer parchment between the wraps, they can just be stacked. 

Enjoy!