Category: Healthy


May
2016

Oven Roasted Vegetable Platter

categories: Gluten Free, Healthy, Side Dishes, Vegan

Oven Roasted Vegetable Platter - A great alternative to grilled vegetables and so much easier. Just 15 minutes of roasting time. | QueenofMyKitchen.com

This Oven Roasted Vegetable Platter is the answer to some of the difficulties you may have encountered if you’ve ever tried to cook a large quantity of vegetables on the grill.  I think everyone would agree that the perfect accompaniment to any type of meat or fish is a platter of grilled vegetables.  Grilled vegetables are heavenly with their gorgeous sear marks and slightly charred smoky taste, but cooking a variety of vegetables on the grill can be very time consuming.  You have to laboriously thread a zillion individual vegetable pieces onto skewers, or stand at the grill and flip that same number of vegetable pieces over for even cooking.  It’s certainly worth the effort if you have the time but if you’re busy preparing other dishes, this might not be the most practical cooking method.  Oven roasting is much easier.  You can use smaller vegetables if you want (i.e. grape tomatoes), and cut them into more manageable, bite size pieces, and you won’t have to stand patiently over an outdoor grill or get your kitchen all smoked up using a stove top grill pan. (more…)


May
2016

Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad

categories: Chicken, Gluten Free, Healthy, Salads

Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad is classic chicken salad made with avocado mayonnaise and dotted with cranberries, walnuts, and a hint of orange zest. The cleanest, freshest tasting chicken salad ever! | QueenofMyKitchen.com

There are an endless number of ways to make chicken salad, however as with most classic recipes the simplest preparations are often the best. Aside from cooked chicken, all you need to make delicious chicken salad is high quality mayonnaise, lots of crunchy celery, a few scallions, and some seasonings.  Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad veers only slightly from this classic preparation.  It calls for avocado mayonnaise instead of mayonnaise made with vegetable oil or olive oil, and contains cranberries, walnuts, and orange zest – 3 foods that, on their own provide incredible flavor harmony, but when combined with the other ingredients is this dish make for a chicken salad symphony! (more…)


May
2016

Spinach Parmesan Quinoa

categories: Gluten Free, Healthy, Side Dishes

Spinach Parmesan Quinoa is a delicious gluten-free side dish that requires only 5 ingredients, takes just minutes to prepare, and checks the box for both “starch” and “vegetable”. | QueenofMyKitchen.com

Spinach Parmesan Quinoa is a simple, delicious side dish requiring just 5 ingredients. I came up with this recipe on the fly one night when I needed something to go with our dinner entrée that I could prepare quickly. The nice thing about Spinach Parmesan Quinoa is that it checks both the “vegetable” and “starch” box. With only a handful of ingredients, it is perfect for busy weeknight dinners. The sun-dried tomatoes are a delicious, savory addition to the quinoa and spinach, and provide a welcome pop of color, while the parmesan cheese adds a creamy quality and eliminates the need for any additional seasoning. This is a real winner of a side dish! (more…)


Apr
2016

Basil Avocado Yogurt Sauce

categories: Appetizers, Gluten Free, Healthy, Sauces, Dressings, Condiments

Basil Avocado Yogurt Sauce - a light and refreshing sauce. The perfect condiment for grilled meat, seafood, and veggies. | QueenofMyKitchen.com

Basil Avocado Yogurt Sauce is my new favorite condiment. It’s deliciously cool with a pleasant tang, and because it’s made with Greek yogurt instead of cream or mayonnaise, it’s light and refreshing. With the warm weather fast approaching here in New England, it’s natural to gravitate toward recipes that are suitable for picnics, backyard barbecues, and all manner of summer time celebrations. This means lots of grilled meat, seafood, and vegetables with accompanying side salads and sauces. Basil Avocado Yogurt Sauce is the perfect summer time sauce for almost anything grilled and can be prepared in a matter of minutes. (more…)


Apr
2016

Raspberry Chia Black Bean Brownie Cups

categories: Desserts, Gluten Free, Healthy

Raspberry Chia Black Bean Brownie Cups - Raspberry chia jam nestled inside a dark chocolate, fudge-like brownie. Gluten-free, low in sugar, high in fiber. | QueenofMyKitchen.com

I found a new fix for my chocolate cravings in the form of Raspberry Chia Black Bean Brownie Cups. These blissful little bites of chocolate goodness have rich, deep flavor.  A layer of sweet, tart raspberry jam is nestled inside of a dark chocolate, fudge-like brownie, creating a decadent treat sure to satisfy any chocoholic.  The fact that Raspberry Chia Black Bean Brownies Cups contain healthy ingredients is a bonus because there is no sacrifice in taste whatsoever.  The recipe on which Raspberry Chia Black Bean Brownie Cups is based comes from the blog Chocolate Covered Katie and is apparently the most popular recipe on her blog. I’m not at all surprised. I couldn’t believe how good these Black Bean Brownies tasted the first time I made them. And then I did what I do every time I find a recipe I love – I started thinking about how to tweak/change it and what variations might create another fabulous dish, and before I knew it, Raspberry Chia Black Bean Brownie Cups were born! (more…)


Mar
2016

Orange Pecan Farro Salad

categories: Healthy, Salads, Side Dishes

Orange Pecan Farro Salad

I recently tried farro for the first time at a local café and was immediately smitten. It was served as a salad, dressed with a simple vinaigrette, and tossed with roasted vegetables. As I savored each bite all sorts of recipe ideas flooded my brain. Orange Pecan Farro Salad is the first of many recipes in which I plan to use this unique and delicious grain.

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Mar
2016

Thin and Crispy Quinoa Crust Pizza

categories: Gluten Free, Healthy

Thin and Crispy Quinoa Crust Pizza. No blender, mixer, or soaking of the quinoa required. Gluten-free. | QueenofMyKitchen.com

Those of us who like pizza tend to fall into one of two camps – thick crust or thin crust.  Fans of thick crust pizza tend to be bread lovers who enjoy the crust as much as the toppings.  They’re the ones who eat the leftover scraps of crust that others leave on their plates. The thin crust advocates tend to be a little more passionate, espousing the virtues of their preference with great enthusiasm .  They’re of the mind that the crust is simply a vehicle for the toppings and that high quality meat, cheese, and vegetables should be the highlight of the pizza – not the bread.    Thin and Crispy Quinoa Crust Pizza might not satisfy the thick crust folks, but if you’re a thin crust fan looking for a gluten-free option you will definitely want to try this recipe. (more…)


Mar
2016

Lobster, Avocado, and Chickpea Salad with Lime Cilantro Vinaigrette

categories: Gluten Free, Healthy, Salads, Seafood

Lobster, Avocado, and Chickpea Salad with Lime Cilantro Vinaigrette is packed with fresh, bright, nutritious flavors. It can be served as a light meal or an elegant first course. Gluten free too. | QueenofMyKitchen.com

I was perusing Pinterest recently and came across a bunch of recipe pins using smashed chickpeas and avocado – as in, chickpeas and avocado mashed together. There were sandwiches, salads, dips and wraps – they ALL looked scrumptious. I suspect that’s because I am in love with chickpeas and avocado and when I saw the two mixed together I thought it was pure genius. So I set about developing my own recipe using smashed chickpeas and avocado and came up with Lobster, Avocado, and Chickpea Salad with Lime Cilantro Vinaigrette. This salad tastes divine, is packed with nutritious ingredients, and its vibrant colors make for a beautiful presentation. What more could you ask for in a dish! (more…)