hands of love #15...

Well, we promised a slow-down on the "Hands of Love" entries, but I guess that will come when we stop EATING, right? :) Yeah, we still gotta EAT, so the meals keep a'comin!

While our meals might not be as glorious or as allergen-free as they once were, we find ourselves still enjoying meals made mostly of WHOLE foods-- real, fresh ingredients. Less cans. Less jars. Garlic from an actual bulb of garlic. Lemon juice actually squeezed from a lemon. It's wierd-- for me, the experience of actually chopping your veggies instead of dumping them out of a bag or can heightens the enjoyment of the meal. (plus, it's more nutritious!) Granted, it does add on time, of which many people don't have the luxury. (maybe one idea would be to chop ahead of time & store in prep bowls in the fridge, perhaps??)

I used to NEVER keep my kitchen full of fresh produce because it would always go bad. But now I realize: THAT'S THE POINT, Amy! Food that actually ROTS and goes bad is the best food for you. (think about it-- haven't you fast food found french fries in your car months later, and they look exactly the same as when you bought them?? That's because there's nothing in that food breaking down... eww...)

Real foods go bad. They turn color. They get mold on them and break down. Think how our great grandparents used to eat-- whatever was fresh at that time was what they ate. Their foods weren't loaded with preservatives to keep them on a shelf somewhere for months at a time. (If you can't buy fresh, then try to buy your veggies flash-frozen as close to the time of harvesting as possible so that most of the nutrients are still in tact. Nutritionally speaking, canned veggies should be last on our list.)

Made for my sweet family this week with hands of love... (all gluten free)


Herb roasted chicken, fresh sauteed veggies, brown rice. THIS was the BEST roasted chicken recipe! It may seem overwhelming, but it's not. (especially if I can do it!!) Make this & you won't regret it: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/04/herb-roasted-whole-chicken/ Use any leftover chicken & rice in something like curry or mexican burritos with black beans, tomatoes, cilantro, etc.


(Easy) Peanut Butter Chicken in the crockpot. This was VERY easy to do and tasted pretty good. (not my all-time favorite) I served it over buckwheat groats (a naturally gluten-free alternative to rice, for variety). Here's the recipe if you're interested.


And we're on the hunt to make a good gluten-free bread for our church's once-a-month communion bread. Last month, I watched my dear husband administer communion at our church, anxiously wondering what is he going to DO when it comes time for HIM to eat the bread?? And sure enough-- I watched him gulp down a piece of gluten-FILLED bread! Well, that was the last time he'll do that-- he was sick for the next WEEK! And to think that's how he used to live before we knew any better! When Marc feels like he's gotten a trace of gluten, he says his stomach quickly begins to feel like there are 1,000 knives in it. (ouch!)

So this bread was a gluten-free mix out of a box that you make in the oven. It's pretty good and no one would probably notice a difference for communion, but we're still on the hunt for something even better. (any suggestions from you gluten-freer's are welcome!)


Sauteed Tilapia with Honey-Scallion Dressing. DELICIOUS!!, but light. (I'm just warning ya) :) I had mine over a salad with tomato & cucumber...


and Marc had his over rice pasta noodles for a more filling variation. (mine tasted WAY better)


Then with the extra leftover rice noodles, a little ground turkey meat, & a jar of Trader Joe's organic spaghetti sauce, it only took a few minutes to throw together this little, yummy ditty. (add some mozzerella cheese on top & sprinkle with GF italian seasoning)


And what do ya do when your toddler decides not to nap that day? Why, you make gluten free pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, of course! :) Though they were pretty for a picture, they weren't the greatest in texture or taste. (too fluffy- too much tapioca flour, I think) So we'll forego sharing the recipe this time. (meanwhile, our freezer is filled with a double batch of these little mini's...at least SOMEONE in my family liked them... can you guess who??)