The Autodidact

Here is something that doesn't happen often: I tried a new recipe and EVERYONE liked it. I saw it in a magazine, thought it looked good, and tweaked it significantly in order to work with what I had on hand. This will serve 6-8 people.  Sautee a finely chopped onion in olive oil; add a few cloves of minced garlic. Add about 2- 2 1/2 pounds of boneless chicken thighs, 2 teaspoons turmeric, 1 teaspoon cayenne, and 2 1/2 teaspoons salt. Mix well and cook on medium heat for a couple of minutes. Add about 2 1/2 cups short grain brown rice, a can of unsweetened coconut milk, a cup of water and a dash of salt. Stir to incorporate and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook until rice is done, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, slice thinly a few handfuls of spinach and a half of a red pepper. When the rice is cooked, add the veggies and cover. Set the table and pour the wine. Serve with a squeeze of fresh lime. Delish! Shopping List: 1 onion 3-4 cloves garlic 2- 21/2 pounds boneless skinle...

 Want to dive into mostly guilt-free chocolate goodness? Here you go: Melt 1/2 cup chocolate chips and set aside. I used sugar-free chips. Mix together 1/4 cup butter with 1/3 cup xylitol until well blended. Add 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla and a tablespoon of coconut oil, and melted chips. Add 1 1/4 cups Almond flour, 1/2 teaspoon each of baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add an additional handful or two of more chocolate chips. Blend, then transfer to a greased loaf pan. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes. Let sit in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a plate or cutting board. But wait, the chocolate goodness is NOT over. Melt about 1/2 cup chocolate chips and a tablespoon or so of butter. (I did use regular chips for this part because I just felt like it). Drizzle over the bread, and lick the bowl. Pour a cup of coffee and enjoy a (mostly) sugar- and gluten-free treat!

 After the success of the   Banana Bread  recently, I thought I'd try a variation. It did not disappoint. Combine in one bowl: 5 eggs 1 1/2 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar 1 Tablespoon vanilla 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking powder 3 cups almond flour 1/2 cup xylitol or monk fruit 1/4 cup melted coconut oil 4 Tablespoons cinnamon 1 teaspoon nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon cloves 1/2 cup chopped pecans Stir until blended, put in a greased loaf pan and bake at 300° for about an hour and 15 minutes. Don't forget to add the coconut oil after you melt it in the microwave, like I did. It was quite good without the oil, surprisingly not too dry, and reminded me of Irish Soda bread. Next time, I will add the oil, and I am sure it will be even better. 

Here's a tasty bread that satisfies your craving for banana bread and has no gluten! It is still hot out of the oven and butter is melting on my slice as I write. Preheat oven to 300°. In a bowl combine: 3 smashed bananas 4 eggs 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking powder 3 cups almond flour 1/3 cup sweetener (I used xylitol) 2 Tablespoons melted coconut oil 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1 cup or so of chocolate chips if desired. Nuts would be nice too. Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake for about an hour and 15 minutes or when a knife comes out clean when inserted. Let cool a few minutes before removing from the pan. Slather with butter and enjoy! My plate is empty, so I'm going back to the kitchen for more.

*** Greetings to you all as we near the end of another year, a year much unlike other years. This will be a long letter; but you are probably locked in your house with nothing better to do anyway, so enjoy! In January, we said goodbye to our rental property and sold it. It was our first home as a married couple, and we spent 10 years on both sides of the duplex raising our first three children. It was bittersweet and freeing at the same time. Jay was freed up to work on projects in our own home, and the sale proceeds generated cash for big projects, such as a new roof and skylights, new patio and fence!  The patio was the last project of the season, and it was finished in time for us to enjoy it a bit before the cold weather set in. Because of all the work done on the house, Jay did not get to garden as usual, but next year, with a deer proof fence and no interference from projects, he should be good to go! Early on in March, we all leisurely put together a 2000 piece puzzle of his...

Look no further for a satisfying, sweet, chocolate chip dessert. These are easy, and similar to the real pan cookies! The basic recipe was found on the back of the bag of almond flour, but I changed it up to suit me. Beat together 2 tablespoons of butter with 1/2 cup monkfruit granules. Add 1 egg, then 1/4 cup of any milk-type product. I used real cream, but almond or coconut mill would do. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add 1 cup almond flour, a pinch of salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder and mix well. Then add 1/4 cup chopped nuts of your choice and 1/4 cup chocolate chips. Mix until just blended. Spread in a greased 8x8 pan and bake for 30 minutes at 350°. For extra chocolate, you can add 1/4 cup of cocoa powder, and have more of a brownie. I could not get to them fast enough to take a picture of the entire pan, and as you can see, the 9 year old's fork was flying back and forth from the plate to her mouth. She did say that the added whipped cream was a nice addition. But it's totally ...

  Whipped up this delicious salad today. Chopped honeydew melon and cucumber make the base of this salad. A drizzle of avocado oil and a squeeze of lemon add a nice depth. Some shredded mint, a dash or more of crushed red pepper and some sliced red onion add spice. Feta cheese mixed in gives added richness. Oh, and bacon. I had some left over from breakfast and figured it would be good. It was. Salt and pepper to taste, and you are done. It was filling and refreshing.