Gluten Free Lemon Chicken Spinach Pasta

My family and I do not suffer from Celiac Disease; nor do we follow a Gluten Free Diet. However, I wanted to try gluten free pasta in a recipe to see if there was a difference as we may have wheat allergies; which causes that bloated feeling after eating wheat products found in pasta and bread.

I have to say that not only was this recipe for Gluten Free Lemon Chicken Spinach Pasta delicious, we also all felt great after eating it. The meal was very satisfying and I loved the lemony flavor combined with the grilled chicken and fresh spinach. I did find that the more you stirred the pasta, the noodles broke apart easier and didn't hold their shape like regular pasta, but that could have just been the brand I used. This is a fantastic meal to make during the week and to even speed up your food prep, I would grill your chicken the night before. ~Enjoy!

Pesto Chick Pea & Kaniwa Salad

I'm back, did you miss me? I missed you! What a fun, jam packed week I had while I was gone. This is  our last getaway for the summer as next month already starts cheering season, so only day or weekend trips from here on out!  

My family and I headed south from NJ to FL and stopped to visit potential colleges along the way for my oldest to attend next fall. We also visited my Mom, barbecued on the Fourth of July with our Jersey friends, Jenn from My Daily Jenn-ism (who also happened to be there at the same time) and threw in some theme park fun. As you can see below, you're never too old for Mickey Ears! 

We actually like and look forward to the long car ride as we don't get to spend much uninterrupted time together during our hectic schedules. It gives us a time to reconnect as a family and watch some good movies. I have to say that we've been doing this drive at least once a year for the last 20 years to visit family and we have it down to a science. Though we did learn about a fairly new driving law called the Move Over Law. We got pulled over in VA for not moving over into the left lane when someone was already pulled over on the shoulder. It's a fairly new law to help stop tragedies from happening when law enforcement, broken down vehicles or workers are pulled over on the shoulder. It is a great law, but took us by surprise. The law states that if you can't move into the left lane (which we couldn't because of other traffic) you are supposed to slow down to 25 miles per hour. I just thought I'd pass this along since when I posted this as a status on Facebook the other day, there were quite a few people who hadn't heard of this law either. After the long drive, we finally made it home, a little longer than expected with holiday traffic, but I hope you all had a great holiday weekend as well!

And now for today's recipe...

Kaniwa (pronounced "ka-nyi-wa") is a small, nutty, grain-like food from the Andes Mountains in Peru and is a fairly new product to the United States. It was a staple grain of the ancient Aztec and Incan cultures, is gluten free and is a good source of both protein and fiber. It is much smaller than it's cousin, quinoa; however it does not contain saponins so you do not need to rinse it prior to cooking. 

  

I first found this product in my local grocery store a few weeks ago and couldn't wait to try it since I have this new found love for quinoa and I really liked it. As you can see, not only is it smaller than quinoa, it's also a reddish-brown color. My daughter and I really liked this Pesto Chick Pea & Kaniwa Salad as it was very flavorful and filling. You can serve it as a side dish or as a main meal. 

Pesto Chick Pea & Kaniwa Salad

Prep Time:      100 minutes              Yield: 10

Cook Time:     20 minutes                 Serving: 1/2 cup

Total Time:     30 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 c. Water
• 1 c. Kaniwa, rinsed
• 1-16oz. Can Chick Peas, rinsed and drained
• 1 c. Grape Tomatoes, halved
• 1 Scallion, chopped
• 1/2 c. Prepared Pesto
• 2 tbsp. Aged Balsamic Vinegar

Directions

1.  Place the water in a pot and bring to a boil; then add the Kaniwa. Reduce heat to low, cover and allow to simmer until all of the water is absorbed; approximately 15-20 minutes. 
2. Place the Kaniwa in a bowl and allow to cool; then add the chick peas, tomatoes, scallion, pesto and vinegar. Mix well and refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Nutrition Facts

Calories 153, Carbs 23.3g, Fat 4.4g, Protein 5.5g, Fiber 3.4g, Sugar .5g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate. 

Enjoy! 

Shopping List

Greek Style Sausage & Chick Peas

I recently received the latest Williams-Sonoma catalog in the mail and I love to peruse it each month to see what new kitchen gadgets they have; as well as look to find some new recipe inspiration. This time I found a recipe for Chick Peas with Lemon, Oregano and Olives that looked wonderful. So I decided to give it a little twist. 

The day before we had grilled some sausage and had two links left over. I sliced them up, added in some chick peas, Kalamata olives, lemon and seasonings and turned it into a satisfying stand-alone meal. To me, leftovers always taste better when you can repurpose them into something else! 

Greek Style Sausage & Chick Peas

Inspired by Williams-Sonoma Chick Peas with Lemon, Oregano and Olives

Prep Time: 10 minutes                                   Yield: 3

Cook Time: 30 minutes                                  Serving: 3/4 cup

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 Italian Sausage Links, grilled and sliced diagonally into 1/4" thick slices
• 1 tsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1-15oz. Can Chick Peas, rinsed and drained
• 1 Lemon, zest and juice
• 1 Garlic Clove, minced
• 1/4 c. Kalamata Olives, chopped
• 2 tbsp. Fresh Parsley, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. Dried Oregano, chopped (you can use 1 tsp. fresh chopped oregano)
• Kosher Salt, to taste
• Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Directions

1.  Heat oil in a large nonstick saute pan; then add in the sausage. Allow to brown on both sides approximately 3-5 minutes. 
2. Add in the chick peas, lemon zest and juice, garlic, olives, parsley and oregano. Saute for approximately 5 minutes until heated through; then season with salt and pepper. 

Nutrition Facts

Calories 277 , Carbs 24.7g, Fat 12.2g, Protein 15.2g, Fiber 7.5g, Sugar 0.5g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate. 

Enjoy! 

Lemon-Thyme Brined Grilled Chicken

Grilling season has officially arrived here in NJ (well at least at my house...I don't like to use the outside grill unless it's above 60 degrees!) and I couldn't wait to try out some new grilled chicken recipes. The first one I experimented with was a basic brine marinade like I've used in the past on pork, and came up with this Lemon-Thyme Brined Grilled Chicken. 

Grilled Pork Chops with Lime and Cilantro (Family Favorites)

Did you know that I have created and shared over 650 new recipes since I started this blog? In fact, this coming Saturday will be CEK's 2 year blogging anniversary! Many of the original recipes are no longer on the site, but you can find them in my cookbook available at many online retailers like Amazon, BN.com and IndieBound. 

 Carrie's Experimental Kitchen: A Collection of Mediterranean-Inspired Family Meals

The funny thing is that since I created all of these recipes, there are only a handful of them that I've made since. I know you might find that hard to believe that someone can have that much of a variety in their meal planning, but YES my family can attest to the fact that I've made something new almost every day for the last 2 years! They like my experiments and the first thing they do when they come home is look to see what I've made next; though sometimes they just crave a burger and fries or take-out pizza. It's all good. :)

So I decided that I would go back to the early days of CEK and pull out some of my family's favorite recipes from the cookbook, make them again and share the recipe with you each week in a new segment called 'Family Favorites'.  I will also include the Nutritional Information since these were not included in the book. 

For today's post, I decided to share the first recipe I ever published here on the blog for Grilled Pork Chops with Lime and Cilantro. I didn't even photograph it the first time and that's a good thing (my early photo skills were horrific!). I just love this recipe. The brining keeps this lean cut of meat moist and tender, and the lime and cilantro add an extra layer of freshness. Besides, it reminds me that summer is on its way! 

Grilled Pork Chops with Lime and Cilantro

4-4oz Boneless Pork Chops

3/4 Cup Water

2 Tbsp. Granulated Sugar

2 Tbsp. Kosher Salt

1 Tbsp. Fresh Cilantro, chopped

1 Tbsp. Fresh Lime Rind, grated

Juice from 1/2 lime

1 tsp. Garlic Powder

1 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, mix water, sugar, and salt until it dissolves. 

2. Add cilantro, lime zest and juice, garlic powder, and pepper, and whisk together until well blended. 

3. Trim any visible fat from your pork chop; then tenderize the chop using a meat mallet or the bottom of a glass. 

4. Add the pork chops and the marinade to a resealable plastic bag, and refrigerate no more than 2 hours. 

5. Remove the meat from the bag, discard the marinade; then grill the pork chops until the proper internal temperature is reached. (It all depends on the thickness of your chop and how you and your family prefer to eat it). Serves 4. 

*Nutritional Information per Serving: Calories 214, Carbs 9.1g, Fat 8g, Protein 24.5g, Fiber .8g, Sugar 7g 
*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate. This recipe factors in all of the above bringing ingredients. Actuals may be significantly less as all of the marinade gets discarded and is not consumed. 

*Suggested Sides: Brown or White Rice with Baby Carrots in a Honey Lime Butter  

*For all of the main entrees in the cookbook, I also suggest side dishes that I've created that go along well with each recipe to help with your family meal planning.

Enjoy! 

Avocado Quinoa Salad-Guest Blogger at Cupcakes and Kale Chips

Today, I'm a happy to be helping out my fellow foodie friend and Jersey Girl Brianne from Cupcakes and Kale Chips while she is on maternity leave with her new baby boy Peyton. 

Please visit her page to see my recipe for this Avocado Quinoa Salad along with a quick tip I learned on how to cut grape (or cherry) tomatoes in half more efficiently. 

Curious yet? 

Head on over and be prepared to stay a while!

Brianne is a Chemical Engineer turned stay-at-home mom/wannabe pastry chef/wedding planner with a meticulous, perfectionist nature. Not only does she have a new baby, she also has a toddler, a wheat allergy, and high cholesterol. On her blog, Cupcakes and Kale Chips, you'll find recipes, thoughts, party ideas and mommy moments.  

You can find her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram! 

Rosemary Grilled Pork Skewers

Today is Food on a Stick Day (I know, there's a day for everything these days!) and since the weather is starting to warm up a bit, I thought I'd share these Rosemary Grilled Pork Skewers. They're so easy to make, are healthy and loaded with fresh, aromatic flavors like lemon, garlic and rosemary. 

The beauty of making a grilled meat skewer, or kabob if you prefer that term, is that you can add any vegetable you like and it will slightly change the flavor. My standard is to use some sort of mushroom, onion and tomatoes; then I add on others with what I happen to have in the house at that moment. This time I also used some zucchini, but eggplant, yellow squash and peppers would work well too. 

Rosemary Grilled Pork Skewers

1 1/2 lb. Center Cut Pork Loin, trimmed and cubed

1/4 c. Distilled White Vinegar

1/4 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Lemon, zest and juice

2 Garlic Cloves, minced

2 tbsp. Fresh Rosemary, finely chopped

1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt

1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Vegetables for Skewers (I used baby bella mushrooms, zucchini, onion and Roma tomatoes)

Directions:

1. Combine the vinegar, oil, lemon zest and juice, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper in a bowl and whisk together. 

2. Add the pork to a resealable plastic bag; then add in the vinegar mixture. 

3. Refrigerate for 2 hours, remove pork then assemble skewers by alternating 3-4 pieces of pork and vegetables of your choice per skewer. 

4. Grill 8-10 minutes or until the pork has reached the proper internal temperature. Makes 8 skewers; Serves 4. 

The nutritional information for this recipe takes into account all ingredients, even though most of the marinade is discarded before grilling. Please take that into consideration when calculating your caloric intake. I've given you both sets of data so that you can decide which one you prefer to use. 

*Nutritional Information per Skewer With All of the Marinade: 

Calories 177, Carbs .2g, Fat 10g, Protein 21g, Fiber 0g

*Nutritional Information per Skewer--Pork only; does not include vegetables: 

Calories 119, Carbs 0g, Fat 3.4g, Protein 21g, Fiber 0g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into CalorieCount and may not be 100% accurate. 

Enjoy!

Pan Seared Pork with Pear & Pomegranate Salsa

Since we don't eat seafood, except for an occasional shrimp dish for the hubby and kids, my main meat is either chicken, turkey or center cut pork chops, so I'm always trying to think up new and interesting ways to prepare them. Hubby and I were having an argument discussion last week about why I always put the majority of the whole fruit I buy each week into the refrigerator instead of putting it all in the basket I have on the kitchen counter. I KNOW you're supposed to keep it out; however, when I do, it doesn't get eaten quick enough and it starts to bruise and turn bad. 

So to prove my point compromise, I put some of the pears I had recently purchased in the basket and waited. Two days, that's all it took and they started to soften so I had to make something with them quick or they would be trash. I had recently seen a recipe for a pear compote in a magazine and decided to cut them up, mix them with some rosemary and a lone pomegranate that had yet to be eaten and voila! This salsa was EXCELLENT on the seared pork chops. They were light, refreshing and not overly sweet. And the little crunch of the pomegranate seeds gave the meal a nice texture as well. This Pear & Pomegranate Salsa would also pair nicely over grilled chicken or fish too! 

Pan Seared Pork with Pear & Pomegranate Salsa
4-4oz. Boneless Center Cut Pork Loin Chops, fat trimmed
1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tbsp. Fresh Rosemary, chopped
Prepared Pear and Pomegranate Salsa, recipe below

Directions:
1. Heat a nonstick large saute pan over medium heat and add the oil. 
2. Pat some of the fresh rosemary on each pork chop, then add to the pan. 
3. Cook 5-7 minutes per side, depending on the thickness so that they get a caramelized color. 

4. Remove from the pan and place in an oven safe baking dish to finish off the cooking in a 350 degree oven. Pork is done when it has reached optimal internal temperature. Cooking times may vary depending on the thickness and your personal preference, but check after 10 minutes. 
5. Top with prepared salsa. Serves 4. 

*Nutritional Information per Serving: Calories 331, Carbs 21g, Fat 11.3g, Protein 36g, Fiber 2.8g, Sugar 15.6g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into CalorieCount and may not be 100% accurate.

Did you know...
That the pomegranate was considered the symbol of married love in ancient Greece?  According to Greek mythology, Aphrodite planted a pomegranate tree and it was expected to be a gift received from guests to your new home. Since Aphrodite was the symbol of love, giving a pomegranate still is given as an ideal wedding gift today.

Pear & Pomegranate Salsa
2 Bosc Pears, peeled, seeded and diced small
1 Pomegranate, seeds only 
1/2 Lemon, juice only
1 tbsp. Shallots, minced
1 tsp. Granulated Sugar
2 tsp. Rosemary, chopped
1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt

Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. 
Serves 4. 

*Nutritional Information per Serving: Calories 81, Carbs 21g, Fat .2g, Protein .7g, Fiber 2.8g, Sugar 15.6g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into CalorieCount and may not be 100% accurate.

Enjoy!

On another note...Did you get your March newsletter? 

It went out yesterday so check your spam folder just to be sure. If you're not signed up, you can still do so by entering your email address into the box to the right over here on the right side of this page (well, you have to be reading this from my actual blog!) >>>>. 

You don't want to miss out! The Newsletter only comes out once a month and I will not sell your information to any 3rd parties. This months' newsletter contains:

• Upcoming interviews, events and reviews 
• How to Make the Perfect Holiday Roast
• A recipe for Baby Fruit Punch (perfect for all of those upcoming baby showers!) and Irish Soda Bread; not to mention the Top 5 Most Viewed Recipes last month
• AND...I'm giving away 10 copies of Carrie's Experimental Kitchen eCookbook (you have to be a newsletter subscriber!)

Sauteed Fresh Spinach and Garlic

I know this is a REALLY simple recipe, but sometimes I just have to think about all of those new cooks out there just starting out. This Sauteed Fresh Spinach and Garlic HAS to be in your recipe repertoire and goes perfectly with just about anything you're serving. I love spinach and generally buy it frozen because once you cook down fresh spinach you really don't get much of a yield. I say this serves 4 as a side dish, but I could eat the entire bowl myself! 

Sauteed Fresh Spinach and Garlic
10 oz. Fresh Spinach
4 Garlic Cloves, thinly sliced
1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher Salt, to taste
Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Heat oil in a large, nonstick saute pan; then add the garlic and spinach. 
2. Saute until the spinach starts to wilt and garlic has released it's smell. Season with salt and pepper. Serves 4. 

*Nutritional Information per Serving: Calories 51, Fat 3.8g, Protein 2.2g, Fiber 1.6g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into CalorieCount and may not be 100% accurate.

Enjoy!

To remove the stem from a fresh spinach leaf, fold the leaf in half along the spine, grab the bottom of the stem and tear toward the tip of the leaf. To clean spinach, swish in a bowl of cold water, let sit for a minute, and then lift into a colander to drain. Empty the water and repeat. After doing this, taste a leaf. If you detect even the slightest bit of grit, wash the leaves again.

Energy Bars (Copycat)

I saw this recipe for 3 Ingredient Energy Bars several weeks ago from Robin at Knead to Cook and I couldn't wait to try them.  I've never tried making my own energy bars, nor do I eat them on a regular basis, but they looked so simple to make; especially since they only had three ingredients!

The funny part is that I normally don't buy dates on a regular basis, but at a recent book signing at a natural food store, they were selling them and they just looked so plump, juicy and fresh that I picked up a bag for myself. I already had almonds and dried cherries in the house and and thought these would make a perfect healthy snack since we were heading to an all day cheering event the next morning. 

These energy bars were incredibly easy and just the right amount of tart and sweet. Rachael and I loved them...Gab, not so much then again if it's good for you she generally shy's away from it. I have some dates left so I think I'll make some with dried blueberries and either pistachios or walnuts next time. Thanks Robin! 

Energy Bars (Copycat)
Knead to Cook
1 c. Medjool Dates, dried and pitted
1 c. Almonds, raw
1c. Dried Cherries

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, place the almonds on a baking sheet and bake for 5-8 minutes until toasted. Check on them after 3 minutes as all ovens are different and you don't want them to burn. 
2. Add the dates and cherries to your food processor and process until it forms into a ball. Remove and set aside. 
3. Next, add in the almonds and process until they are finely chopped, then add back in the date and cherry  mixture. Blend again until all ingredients have been incorporated. 
4. Line an 8x8 square baking pan with parchment paper or tin foil and place the mixture on top. Flatten the mixture out so that it is even then refrigerate for 45 minutes. Remove and slice into 16 pieces. 

*Nutritional Information per Serving: Calories 114, Carbs 17.7g, Fat 4.4g, Protein 2.4g, Fiber 4.6g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into CalorieCount and may not be 100% accurate. 

Enjoy!