Instead of Ordering Chinese...

So, last yesterday I made this lovely gluten-free gem...

If you enjoy Asian dishes, this looks pretty good right? And believe me you, it was pretty good and easy to throw together. I cooked the entire dish in my Crock Pot, with the exception of the kelp noodles as there was really no need to cook the kelp noodles. I only needed to rinse those low-cal friends. The Bear and I were very excited to eat this meal. Yes, even the Bear enjoys kelp noodles. The meal was tasty. It passed the taste test. The only problem, it tasted a lot like any other Asian dish I've made on with asparagus. Whether cooked in a slow cooker or stir-fried, I can't quite put my finger on it. A lot of my Asian recipes taste the same. I am no master of Asian cooking. I think I've got Thai food somewhat down. When I get to make a recipe repeat that is. For example my Grilled Chicken Thai Salad is always a hit. I've also not received any complaints on my Very Veggie Pad Thai or for those of you who might have joined the kelp noodle bandwagon my Speedy Chicken Pad Thai with Kelp Noodles. However, when it comes to Chinese food, things seem to taste a little too similar for my tastebuds. Since this recipe is all to familiar to my pallet, I will suggest some other recipes that might be a little more tantalizing to your tongue. For anything that calls for broccoli, you can sub and/or add asparagus. Here are some suggestions...

• Slow Cooker Pork and Noodle Bowls (My sisters loved this one!)
• Sesame Shrimp Stir Fry (Chicken can substitute, but the Bear actually enjoyed the shrimp more.)
• Sesame Slow Cooker Chicken (Seriously, hands down, my favorite) 
• Asian Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps (So cute, tasty, and light! I don't think these got enough attention)
• Hawaiian Chicken (Another favorite! Simple and versatile!)
• Chicken and Ginger Flatbreads (Mouthwatering!!! Need I say more?)
• Copycat Starbucks Veggie Brown Rice Bowl (Hello vegetarian! A dish that makes going vegetarian or vegan very easy on the pallet. This is one of the most popular on the blog to date.)

I hope you take some time and check out these recipes. They are some of my favorites! I am too afraid to post a crappy recipe, but want to stay in touch. Enjoy!

Cheesy Bacon, Kale, & Artichoke Quesadillas

I'm not sure who designed this, but I absolutely love it! I could hardly watch ISU play yesterday afternoon. It was one of those games where the Bear and I were on the edge of our seats the entire game. We were both pretty nervous after Georges Niang suffered yet another injury this season during Friday night's game against North Carolina Central. Last week Niang suffered a blow to his eyebrow during the Big 12 tournament game against KU. He had to get five stitches. Hence the band aid on Cy. Now he's out for the remainder of the season with a broken foot. After breaking his foot however, he managed to continue playing for a little while and scored 5 more points. The Bear thought the team was doomed. Quite the opposite happened yesterday and they rallied on! We hope they can keep the magic going, Hilton magic that is;). Let's go Cyclones!!

I know not all of you are Iowa State fans, but maybe you are quesadilla fans. I truly missed quesadillas after going gluten free. I tried making them with corn tortillas, but it just wasn't the same. I am happy to say that after trying Udi's gluten-free tortillas, one of my favorite Mexican indulgences is back on the menu.

This recipe is packed with some amazing ingredients! Layered with a bacon, fat-free mozzarella cheese, and a garlicky sauteed kale and artichoke mixture, these quesadillas are deliciously sneaky way to add some super veggies into your meal. You could easily make this dish vegetarian by omitting the bacon. Not gluten free? No problem! You could also use whole wheat or regular flour tortillas. My belly just prefers I keep mine gluten free.

Cheesy Bacon, Kale, and Artichoke Quesadillas

Nonstick cooking spray
4 cups kale, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
8 slices center cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup shredded fat-free mozzarella cheese
4 plain tortillas (I used Udi's gluten-free tortillas)

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Spray with nonstick cooking spray. Add the kale, garlic, and artichoke hearts. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-6 minutes or until the kale begins to wilt. Remove from heat. Place in a dish and set aside. When the skillet is cool enough to handle, rinse with warm water and wipe clean. Heat the skillet once again over medium heat. Place one tortilla in the bottom of the skillet. On one half of the tortilla, layer 1/4 of the kale mixture, 1/4 of the crumbled bacon, and 1/4 cup cheese. Fold the half without any toppings over the topping side. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the tortilla begins to turn lightly brown. Using a large spatula, flip the to the other side. Cook another 3-4 minutes. Remove from the skillet and repeat with the remaining tortillas. Cut into triangles before serving.

Thinking Spring Menu Post

Isn't hard to believe that it is the last week of March?! This month has really flown by! Since I took last week off due to traveling and spring break, I wanted to get one final March menu post ready for you all. I know everyone is thinking spring despite the cold temperatures throughout most of the country. When I think about spring foods I think about chicken, asparagus, and light recipes that bring outdoor grilling back into the picture. This week features all of these wonderful spring foods. Since it is still a bit chilly, I'm starting off the week with one of my favorite soups- Chicken Tortilla Soup. Cooked in the Crock Pot, this simple, flavorful recipe makes a bumper crop perfect for lunch throughout the week. Monday and Tuesday I have a new quesadilla recipe to share. Thanks to Udi's plain tortillas, cheesy quesadillas are reappearing in my life again. Oh how I've missed you! Welcome back! Midweek, chicken and asparagus will pare together in a quick stir fry. The perfect fast dinner for making in the middle of a busy week. Finally, in hopes the weather cooperates we hope to grill some chicken burgers inspired by Grameracy Tap in Des Moines, Iowa. I enjoyed this meal last Friday night before the Leprechaun Chase. I think it worked so, I hope to recreate this meal again to fuel up before for the Diva Dash next week:)! Here is the official plan:

Sunday 3/23            Chicken Tortilla Soup with Duree Family Cheesebread

Monday 3/24          Cheesy Bacon, Kale, and Artichoke Quesadillas with Roasted Tomatoes and Zucchini

Tuesday 3/25          Leftovers

Wednesday 3/26     Chicken & Asparagus Stir Fry with Kelp Noodles

Thursday 3/27         Leftovers

Friday 3/28             Chicken Burgers with Cranberry-Jalapeno Mayo and Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Here is approximately what you will need to make this all happen:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 lb. lean ground chicken breast or already made chicken burgers
1 package center cut bacon
1 bunch asparagus
1 bunch kale
1 bunch cilantro
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
2 zucchini
1 bulb garlic
2 yellow or white onions
1 red onion (optional for burger night)
1 package sliced mushrooms
2-4 sweet potatoes (depending on size)
1-2 avocados (depending on size)
1 15 oz. can quartered artichoke hearts
1 15 oz. can black beans
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
2 4 cup boxes reduced sodium chicken broth (I like to use Hy-Vee or Costco brand)
1 package kelp noodles (if you cannot find kelp noodles, rice noodles will work too)
1 package gluten-free tortillas (I love Udi's)
1 package gluten-free ciabatta rolls
1 bag tortilla chips
1 bag frozen corn
1 8 oz. box 1/3 less fat cream cheese
1 bag shredded fat-free or reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
Butter (I am in love with Land O Lakes light butter right now)

Pantry items you will need:

Nonstick cooking spray
Extra virgin olive oil
Honey
Soy Sauce (Hy-Vee's soy sauce is gluten free. I also love San-J Organic Tamari)
Ground ginger powder
Garlic powder
Cayenne pepper
Black pepper
Salt

Enjoy your weekend! I look forward to posting throughout the week! Happy Spring!

Monterrey Chicken & Spring Break

I hate to admit when I feel relaxed because then life gets incredibly busy again. I've been feeling so incredibly relaxed. If you notice past posts, I kept talking about how crazy things were at school. I think we all deserve a break and a chance to unwind. I'm grateful I get this chance as a teacher during spring break. I just hope it doesn't make me too lazy;).

This spring break has been amazing! Friday I left directly from work to Des Moines for the big 10k race. I am very proud to say that I ran the entire time and finished!!! I ran slowly, but kept at it. There were so many people along the way cheering us on and telling us to push through. It was great! After the race, I met up with my Drake wolf pack crew to celebrate. A cider first at El Bait Shop the post race headquarters....

I know cider right?! There are water bottles on the table as well. I also recharged with a diet Red Bull before said cider to give me a little boost. It amazes me every time I am in Des Moines how much it has changed for the better. Downtown has a great vibe. So unlike the days we were all in college together. I love it! Next, we headed to Dos Rios for some nourishment.

Dos Rios is absolutely outstanding! They have so many gluten-free options and they make guacamole fresh at your table. If you love Mexican food and are in downtown Des Moines, I highly suggest you stop by. You will not regret it!

After all of the race day fun, I headed to my dad's. We watched the final Big 12 tournament game- Baylor versus my Iowa State Cyclones. It was the first game I was able to sit and watch a game in its entirety. Most of the time I struggle to sit through an entire basketball game. It was probably because I was so worn out, but I felt compelled to cheer the Cyclones on! In the words of Paul Rhoads, "I am so proud!" I hope they can keep it up!

Monday I finally made it home to the Bear. I was still sore until yesterday, but think I'll take advantage of the first day of spring with a little run today. I have plenty of excitement to work out as yesterday my orthodontist finally said my braces get to come off! Yes, in three weeks (April 9th) I will be braces free! I can't wait!

Now that I've got you all caught up on my very interesting life lately, how about some Monterrey Chicken?

I don't know what compelled me to come up with this recipe other than everything just sounded good. Here I've taken advantage of Penzy's buttermilk ranch dressing base as a seasoning for the chicken. I topped the chicken with sauteed peppers, onions, and fat free cheddar cheese. For a dose of healthy fats, I added avocado. If you are looking to pep up your chicken, this is a great recipe!

Monterrey Chicken

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon buttermilk ranch dressing mix
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1 orange bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1/4 cup reduced sodium, gluten-free chicken broth
1 cup shredded fat free cheddar cheese
1 avocado, sliced

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Spray a large casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the ranch dressing mix over both sides of your chicken. Add the chicken breast. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until the chicken begins to brown and easily lifts away from the skillet. Turn, cook another 4-5 minutes or until browned on the other side. Using tongs, place chicken in the casserole dish. Set aside. Add the onions, peppers, and broth to the skillet. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to bring up any brown bits. Remove from heat. Pour the onion and pepper mixture over the chicken. Place the casserole dish in the oven. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until a meat thermometer stuck inside one of the chicken pieces reads 165 degrees. Sprinkle the cheese over the onions and peppers. Bake another 5 minutes or until the cheese begins to melt and bubble. Remove from the oven. Top with avocado slices before serving.

Slow Cooker Pub Chicken

We are feeling spring today in Kansas City! I saw green grass sprouting for the first time since October. The sun has been shining for the last 2 days. The Big 12 tournament is taking place as we speak. I am a little superstitious about saying too many positive things about Iowa State as consistency is a bit of a problem. So, all I will say is it's a good day to be a Cyclone! Also, I experienced one of the best days in my teaching career even though I was not actually teaching. Today, the high school teacher of the year and I had the honor of hosting our district visit for other regional finalists. It went amazingly well thanks to teamwork and the help from the entire Turner community. We put a lot of hard work and planning into all of this and it truly paid off! Thank you to all of Turner USD 202 staff, administration, and community! We could not have done this without you!

Now, on to the meal that saved me this week thanks to my slow cooker. Like I said earlier in the week, it has been cray-cray! I originally read about this recipe on my fellow blogging friend's website nHerShoes. Bobbi McCormick had impressed her friends with a beer and chicken recipe that I was somewhat envious of, but knew I probably shouldn't enjoy since I don't drink a lot of regular beer due to the gluten. But then, I got a little creative. We were craving burgers on Sunday. I wanted to make things a little healthier. So, I asked the Bear what he loved about his favorite burger. He said he loved Swiss cheese, bacon, onions, and a cold beer on the side. The light bulb went off in my head and thus a gluten-free version of this dish was born.

All of the flavors of your favorite pub burger delivered to you in one healthy slow cooker recipe. I think that's about all I need to say.

Slow Cooker Pub Chicken
inspired by Bobbi McCormick

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup gluten-free beer (such as Omission)
1/2 cup gluten-free chicken broth
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 slices 2% Swiss cheese
4 slices center cut bacon, cooked and crumbled

Place the chicken in the bottom of your slow cooker. In a small bowl, whisk together the beer, chicken broth, mustard, dried onion, and salt. Pour over the chicken. Turn the chicken to coat. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Uncover and top with cheese and bacon. Cover and cook for another 5 minutes or until the cheese begins to melt and serve.

I hope you all have an amazing weekend! I look forward to posting all about the 10k and spring break shenanigans when I get home! Wish me luck!

Gluten-Free Tomato & Basil Flatbreads

This doesn't happen very much, but I've got a major case of the "Mondays." What's really throwing me off is that they still haven't gone away even with the beautiful weather and a good run. I think it's just the crummy sleep and time change that have thrown me off my good mood train. Hopefully I get some good rest tonight. Tomorrow will be better.

Enough whining for now. No one likes a whiny cry baby blog post! No way! How about an easy meal that I feel crazy even calling a recipe? This is making me smile!

I must say this photo makes this meal look pretty elegant. The idea for these tomato and basil flatbreads all came about over the weekend while I was enjoying Minskey's pizza. I noticed that they had changed up their regular gluten-free crust and managed to get it so crispy thin I don't think anyone would ever know there was no gluten in it. The spring weather also got me craving fresh basil. I can't wait to get my herbs started for the summer! So I thought, "How can I get a super thin crust and some of those summer time flavors into an easy weeknight pizza?" The answer, Udi's plain tortillas! Genius! This recipe is so easy your kids could help out in making this dinner. Doesn't that make Monday night a little less Mondayish?

Gluten-Free Tomato and Basil Flatbreads

Nonstick cooking spray
4 gluten-free plain tortillas such as Udi's (if you are not concerned with gluten, I'm sure regular flour tortillas would work too)
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes in onion and garlic
1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes (optional if you do not want to add any heat)
1 cup shredded 2% mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. While the oven preheats, heat the tomatoes over medium-high heat in a small sauce pan for 10 minutes or until the liquid begins to thicken. Stir in the red pepper flakes. Remove from heat and set aside. Spray two baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray. Depending on the size of your cookie sheets, you should be able to arrange two flat tortillas on each sheet. Top the tortillas with the tomato sauce. Sprinkle each tortilla with 1/4 cup mozzarella and 1/2 tablespoon Parmesan. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the edges begin to crisp and the cheese is bubbly. Remove from the oven. Top with the fresh basil before cutting and serving.

Crazy Week Menu Post

While spring break is on the horizon, I still have to get through this week. I'm dealing with my latest kitchen accident (burn on right palm) which has thrown a bit of twist in things. We begin state assessments at school. Later in the week I'll be showcasing our district to other members in my Kansas Teacher of the Year cohort, and I'm running the 10k next weekend. What a frenzy! I love to keep busy, but I'm beginning to wonder what the heck I got myself into. Good thing all this training for the 10k has been keeping me pretty zen.

Like I've said before, when things get crazy I love to get organized. Well, until I burn my hand while trying to get organized;). This week I not only need recipes that come together in a snap, but I also need to be fueling my body for the race on Saturday. I've got breakfast all ready to go for the week. I'm alternating between a balance of proteins and carbs. On my higher protein days I've prepared my Veggie Scramble. On alternate days I eat more carbohydrates with my Apple-Goji Oats in a Jar. Lunch will be consisting of spinach salads topped with tomatoes, green onions, mushrooms, and chicken breast served with a side of gluten-free flax crackers and hummus. Of course all of this is all balanced out with snacking on lots of other fruits and veg. I hope to share all of those healthy, power packed meals with you in some future posts, but will stick to dinners this week. Tonight we will be celebrating the warm weather with my all time favorite Papa Chris Burgers. I've been eating pretty lean and clean and kind of feel like a need a little red meat. Tomorrow and Tuesday I've prepped a super, super simple sauce for some easy Gluten-Free Tomato and Basil Flatbreads. Nothing like pizza for a meatless Monday meal! Later in the week, I'm counting on my slow cooker to help me out with my Slow Cooker Pub Chicken. I'm stoked about this recipe and can't wait to see how it turns out! Here is the total rundown:

Sunday 3/9            Papa Chris Burgers with Sweet Potato Fries 

Monday 3/10         Gluten-Free Tomato-Basil Flatbreads with Salad

Tuesday 3/11         Leftovers

Wednesday 3/12   Slow Cooker Pub Chicken with Cauliflower Mashers & Broccoli

Thursday 3/13       Leftovers

A few of the items you will need to make this menu happen are...

1/2 lb. 85% lean ground beef

1/2 lb. 93% lean ground beef

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes (if you choose for topping your salads or burgers)

2 sweet potatoes (I bake my own, however for convenience, you can purchase frozen sweet potato fries)

4 baby red potatoes

1 bunch fresh basil

1 package broccoli (already cut)

1 bag of your favorite salad blend

1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes in onion and garlic

1 container grated Parmesan cheese

1 package gluten-free hamburger buns

1 package gluten-free tortillas (such as Udi's)

1 bag frozen broccoli

1 8 oz. brick 1/3 less fat cream cheese

1 carton almond milk

1 bag shredded 2% mozzarella cheese

1 package sliced 2% Swiss cheese

Gluten-free beer such as Omission

Pantry items you will need include...

Nonstick cooking spray

Dijon mustard

Garlic powder

Dried minced onion

Seasoned salt (I use Penzy's 4-S blend)

Salt

Pepper

I hope you all are enjoying the spring-like weather like we are in Kansas City! Have a great week!