Ground Chicken Mexican Casserole

I really love to cook. 

Cooking is like therapy for me, it is a way I show love and it is a creative outlet. Sometimes preparing meals after a really long day is just not what I want to do. (I believe we all could agree the feeling is mutual) So lately my home cooked meals have been really blah. Not eating fast food anymore, while better for my health and wallet, is not better on days I am tired. So I will simply cook some Quinoa and throw in veggies. Once or twice a week this is fine. However, multiple nights in a row it becomes really boring.

I couldn't take another round of boring last night so I put my thinking cap on, went to the grocery store and when I got home I proceeded with making a meal I am proud to call my own. (Although it really is many different recipes all in one and has been done before by others) But still…my own.

Ground Chicken Mexican Casserole

1 pound lean ground chicken (no antibiotics, hormones, grass fed, organic)

1 cup Lundberg’s Wild Blend Rice (gluten free-whole grain-vegan-non gmo)

2 cups(or less) + ¼ cup Homemade Enchilada Sauce (recipe below)

1-2 gluten free tortilla shell(s)

¼ cup non-dairy cheese or any cheese of your choice

In a pan cook ground chicken until brown and no longer pink. Meanwhile, cook Wild Blend Rice according to package directions. In an 8x8 casserole dish, spread ¼ cup of enchilada sauce on the bottom and place the tortilla shell on top. Once rice has cooked, transfer the ground chicken into the bowl with the rice and increase the temperature to high heat. Pour the remaining sauce into the same pan and let it boil rapidly for 3-5 minutes being cautious not to burn the rice…stir occasionally.

Turn off the heat and transfer the Chicken and Rice to your casserole dish. Top with an additional tortilla shell if you would like and shredded cheese and place in a 425° pre-heated oven until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling. Let cool and enjoy.

Homemade Enchilada Sauce

1 tbs. dairy-free butter or regular butter

1 ½ tbs. grapeseed oil

1 ½ tbs. Quinoa flour (or brown rice)

1 tbs. non-GMO cornstarch

1 ½ cups chicken broth (free-range low sodium)

6 ounce can tomato paste

6 ounces water

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. dried ground cumin

¼ tsp. paprika

¼ tsp. salt

(feel free to add 2 tbs. chili powder, 1 tsp. garlic…I just can’t consume either of these)

In a bowl, combine the flour and cornstarch and set aside.

Set the chicken broth beside the saucepan you will be using

In your saucepan, heat the butter and oil together over medium heat. When butter is melted and the oil has a slight boil, whisk the flour/cornstarch mixture slowly into the pan.

Immediately pour the chicken broth into your pan, but slowly and continue to stir. Increase the heat to medium-high.

Consistently whisk the mixture for about 2-4 minutes or until thickened.

Add tomato paste, water, and seasonings and whisk until combined. Turn heat to low and let simmer for about 5 minutes.

All in all this took about an hour to prepare and cook. You can very easily make this process quicker by using a quick cook rice of your choice, two cans of enchilada sauce and even faster with pre-cooked shredded chicken. Just combine it all together and throw it in a casserole dish with your tortilla and cheese.

Just remember, I prefer if you do this in a more organic way ;)

Love,

Rachel
Update: Just had leftovers...better the second time around!

When I Need A Treat

Chocolate, yum!
Fruit, yum!
Pecans, yum!

I love love love desserts. I probably have the largest sweet tooth ever, thanks to my mother. Finding yummy treats when you are gluten free, 50% vegan (can't commit 100% right now), against GMO's and want to eat organic as much as possible, having a yummy dessert can be challenging. Especially when you live in a small town where these options are few and far between. Despite these challenges I have found a new dessert that makes me so happy!!

I take "Enjoy Life" Cocoa Loco Baked Chewy Bars - (NON-GMO certified, Gluten free, dairy free, soy free) and add raspberries, black berries and crushed pecans.

I unwrap that chocolate goodness of a bar and heat it in the microwave for about 15 seconds, crumble it and add my berries and pecans.

DELISH!!!

Love,
Rachel

Quinoa & Bean Burrito

Another delicious success for me along this food journey to health. I am going to keep this post short and just go ahead and share the recipe.

This recipe is gluten free and vegan friendly. Remember, always look for Certified Organic labels & Non-GMO labels.

Quinoa & Bean Burrito

1 serving Bob's Red Mill Quinoa
1 can Vegan Refried Beans
Yellow & Red Grape Tomatoes
Grapeseed Oil
1/4 cup Pine Nuts
1/2 Lemon juiced
1/2 Avocado - cut into cubes
1/4 cup Cilantro
Cumin to taste
Sea Salt & Pepper to taste


Begin cooking Quinoa according to the package directions. This is where I add a little bit of salt, grapeseed oil, pepper and cumin along with 1 tsp. lemon juice for flavor. (Can easily use quick cooking quinoa instead that is already seasoned)

Heat refried beans in a small pot and turn off.

Add 1 tsp. Grapeseed Oil to a small pan that has been heated over medium-high heat. To the pan add the pine nuts, tomatoes and salt. Sautee until tomatoes are tender and pine nuts are toasted.

Transfer tomatoes to a bowl and add avocado, remaining lemon juice and cilantro. Break everything up with a fork.

Lay tortilla shell flat on a plate and spread a layer of refried beans over tortilla. Then add a layer of Quinoa, finally spoon the tomato mixture down the middle. Roll like a burrito and enjoy. Feel free to add cheese (if going vegan, add daiya mozzarella style shreds)

Please note that you can add more tomatoes, cilantro and avocado if you are cooking for 2-4 people. I cook for myself so my quantities are less than for an average size family. I cook my husband a separate meal each night as he is not into this lifestyle at all. While he supports it, he just can't hang, ha!

Enjoy!

Love,
Rachel

Introducing My Lifestyle

Many of you have been asking 

"What do you eat?" 
"How did you lose weight?"
"Are you sure you can't eat this, eat that?"

I have lost 30 pounds in a little over 3 months. This has become my reward for a change in my lifestyle that was a priority to make. I had been suffering since 2002 with terrible stomach issues. We won't even go there. But trust me or ask my family, friends and co-workers....it was imperative something change. Doctors couldn't help me, removing my gallbladder couldn't help me, medication couldn't help me. Only prayer and eliminating foods by trial and error mixed with years of research have I been able to calm the monster within. 

While I am not 100% well, and let's face it, I may never be. I am 75% better and to me, that is AMAZING and life changing. I actually caught myself several times thinking something was wrong with me because I haven't been used to my new tummy. I guess I thought I should be spending more time in the restroom...as I always did. But anyway, said we weren't going there. SO....

Here are some of the foods I have in my home

Notice:

1. No Dairy

2. 75-85% Gluten Free

3. Organic

4. Free Range Products

5. Non-GMO products

6. Little to absolutely no soy products

7. No soda

8. Sprouted Grains

9. Vegan (although, this isn't a complete requirement for me) I do eat animal products. Except red meat. I haven't had red meat going on 9 years.

When I shop, I look for all of the requirements from the list above. Sometimes I can find products that make me feel like I have hit the lottery. Products like the below that make me happier than I probably should be. Products that have everything I need/want in one.

So I will break my list down for you and tell you why I have chosen to live this way

1. No Dairy

Dairy messes with my stomach very badly. I just can't do very much at all. Also, I encourage you to research what is really in the milk you consume. Even most Organic Milk.

2. 75-85% Gluten Free

While I am not 100% gluten free, I have noticed I am gluten sensitive. When I eat mainly gluten free products, my tummy is happy. Someone suggested I may have an allergy to gluten and suggested I try to eliminate it from my life. So I did some research. When I found out what gluten is, honestly it was easy to make the switch. Actually, the name gluten is derived from a glue-like  sticky network of proteins.

3. Organic

 I will just let this picture do the talking for me. Tomatoes on the left, non-certified organic, were purchased over a month ago... tomato on the right was purchased less than a week ago.

Um....why haven't the tomatoes I purchased over a month ago turned yet?

4. Free Range Products

Blame the animal lover in me. While I still eat meat, I have this thing for the treatment of these animals prior to consumption. 

"A free-range chicken is a bird that is allowed constant access to the outdoors, with plenty of fresh vegetation, sunshine and room to exercise. Moreover, it has not been given any chemicals (antibiotics, for example) of any kind." Forrest Pritchard

To me, this more humane than animals that are caged, pumped full of chemicals, and living a miserable life.

5. Non-GMO products

What is GMO? I'll just quote a few sources and let you sit and think on this for yourself. I believe you will soon understand why this is just WRONG!

From Wikepedia: 

1. GMOs are the source of genetically modified foods and are also widely used in scientific research and to produce goods other than food.
2. "GMOs are foods biologically manufactured in laboratories – injected with new DNA, viruses, herbicides, insecticides and/or other chemicals – to be resistant to synthetic chemicals and are completely different than hybridizing techniques allowed by nature." "In 50 countries there are significant restrictions or outright BANS on GMO's." (Vani Hari - Food Babe)
3. 
   

6. Little to absolutely no soy products

Soy containes Carrageenan: "Although derived from a natural source, carrageenan appears to be particularly destructive to the digestive system, triggering an immune response similar to that your body has when invaded by pathogens like Salmonella." No wonder my tummy was bothered all the time! Even when I eliminated dairy and began drinking Soy Milk. It seemed my stomach was worse when I consumed Soy Milk.

7. No soda

I am not even going to go into this because it honestly requires a blog entry of its own. But trust me!!!!! PLEASE STOP THE SODAS

8. Sprouted Grains

A sprouted grain is lower in starch than a regular grain and it also has higher levels of protein, vitamins and minerals. All around, it is just better for you.

9. Vegan 

While I am not a vegan, I eat more vegan products now than I used to. I do this simply because of the benefits/nutrients I gain from eating vegan. Vegan products have reduced saturated fats, antioxidants, protein, magnesium, potassium, fiber, Vitamin E and Vitamin C just to name a few.

So, there you have it. I could seriously go on and on, but you would lose interest. I just wanted to share what I have been doing and why. What have I gained?

Healthier body and mind

Healthier skin

Weight loss

Increased Energy

Less stomach issues

And my Fibromyalgia flare-ups only occur now a few times a month instead of a few times a week.

Hope you enjoyed this and have taken something away from it that will make you want to incorporate these changes into your lifestyle. Yes, it can be expensive and it has to be a priority on the budget. However, I believe in the long run you will save more money because you will spend less time sitting in the doctors office with high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease and more!

Love, 

Rachel

Figured It Out

I figured it out! (see here)

I think this weekend will be a weekend spent in the kitchen.

The week of Christmas, my husband and I went to Asheville, NC for our honeymoon. We stayed in a cozy little cabin just outside of Weaverville, NC. While there, we ate at the wonderful Green Sage Cafe in Asheville for lunch. It was so good that we had to go there again later that week.

I had a wonderfully made gluten free turkey and ham wrap both times. The sauce on the wrap was to die for!! I inquired as to what the sauce was...Vegenaise. Being from the South and only a little over three months into this lifestyle change of no gluten, non-GMO, all organic, etc...etc..., I had never heard of Vegenaise. My Bad!!!

I love anything a little tangy and citrus-y and this Vegenaise was both!! Oh my!

Since we have been back home I have really missed the food options North Carolina had to offer. I miss being able to go into a restaurant or a grocery store and have endless options to choose from. Living in a small town with only a small handful of stores to buy groceries and maybe one or two places I can actually eat out at, I am back to the daily grind of hand preparing everything.

Since I am still new to this lifestyle, I have yet to discover all the options I really have as far as what I can eat. I kind of have picked my few staple items and stuck with them. I am getting bored. Today I was really craving that wrap and when I thought of it, the first thing my mouth did was water at the thought of that wonderful sauce.

So...this weekend will be spent in the kitchen exploring more food options for myself (sorry honey) and first on the list is making my own Vegenaise. I will make sure to come back and let you guys know how it goes.

Love,
Rachel