3 Ingredient Baked Haddock

A classic New England dinner made with just three ingredients. As easy as it is delicious.

3 Ingredient Baked Haddock – A classic New England dinner made with just three ingredients. As easy as it is delicious. Perfect for busy weeknights. | QueenofMyKitchen.com | #fish #easydinner #3ingredients #bakedhaddock #fishdinner

EAT SEAFOOD TWICE PER WEEK
If you eat fish less than two times per week, you’re not eating enough seafood. So says a panel of nutrition experts assembled by the American Heart Association who recommend eating fish two times per week to help reduce the risk of heart failure, coronary heart disease, cardiac arrest and stroke. This is such simple advice to follow and an easy way to improve your health if you’re not already doing it. While the AHA places emphasis on consuming fatty fish like salmon, herring, and mackerel for their high concentration of omega 3’s, the less fatty varieties such as haddock have important health benefits as well. (Check out this article on the Health Benefits of Haddock.) In my family we have no problem at all eating seafood twice per week. Simple and delicious recipes like this one for 3 Ingredient Baked Haddock make it easy! (more…)

Cast Iron Roasted Sweet Potatoes

A quick and easy method for roasting sweet potatoes.  Makes a stunning presentation.

Cast Iron Roasted Sweet Potatoes – A quick and easy method for roasting sweet potatoes that makes a stunning presentation. Great for weeknights but fancy enough for entertaining. | QueenofMyKitchen.com | #sweetpotatoes #weeknightdinner #sweetpotato #vegan #glutenfree #vegansides #glutenfreesides

SUPER NUTRITIOUS SWEET POTATOES
Sweet potatoes are delicious and have gorgeous color but there are other even more compelling reasons to love them. Sweet potatoes are rich in:
• vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene),
• vitamin B6,
• vitamin C, and
• potassium
They’re also high in fiber and antioxidants which promote gut health. In addition, they have anti-inflammatory properties and are low on the glycemic index which means that despite their sweetness, they release sugar into the bloodstream slowly – an important attribute as rapid spikes in blood sugar levels are linked to obesity, diabetes, and other chronic diseases. So, as you can see there’s a lot to love about sweet potatoes but I’m going to bet you’ll love them even more once you try this recipe for Cast Iron Roasted Sweet Potatoes. (more…)

Low Carb Almond Flour Bread

Delicious, gluten-free bread made with super clean ingredients. Only 5 grams of carbs per slice.

Low Carb Almond Flour Bread AN EASY-TO-KEEP RESOLUTION
The New Year is a time for healthy eating resolutions – turning over a new leaf and setting dietary goals to change our lives for the better. But lasting improvement can only happen if one sticks to their intentions, and sadly, the research tells us that even though approximately half of all Americans make New Year’s resolutions, less than 10% actually keep them for more than a few months. Often times the problem is that people make resolutions that are too ambitious, like vowing to give up eating bread. The key to making resolutions one can keep, the experts tell us, is to set small, realistic goals, which, over a long period of time, can yield big results. For example, instead of giving up bread entirely, simply switch to eating bread that’s less refined and lower in sugar and carbohydrates than conventionally made bread – bread like this Low Carb Almond Flour Bread. It’s made with super healthy ingredients and is guaranteed to satisfy even the most intense bread craving. Now that’s a resolution anyone can keep! (more…)

Cassava Greek Yogurt Brownies

Gluten-free, grain-free, brownies with a cake-like texture and rich chocolate flavor.

Cassava Greek Yogurt Brownies - Gluten-free brownies with a cake-like texture and rich chocolate flavor. Made with grain-free cassava flour. | QueenofMyKitchen.com | #brownies #glutenfree #grainfree #healthybaking #cassavaflour

UNUSUAL BROWNIE INGREDIENTS
Cassava Greek Yogurt Brownies are delicious gluten-free brownies with a cake-like texture and rich chocolate flavor. They’re made with two ingredients not commonly found in brownies: grain-free cassava flour and Greek yogurt. At first glance these seem like odd ingredients with which to make brownies, but each serves an important purpose. The cassava flour replaces all-purpose wheat flour in this recipe and is the perfect baking substitute for those who adhere to gluten-free diets or who must avoid grains. The Greek yogurt, in turn, adds moisture – without it the brownies would be too dry because even though cassava flour can usually be substituted 1:1 for all-purpose flour, it’s more absorbent than all-purpose flour, so when baking with it, other ingredient adjustments – in this case, adding a dairy product – are often needed. So, what is cassava flour? Read on. (more…)

Chickpea Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Traditional oatmeal raisin cookies are transformed with a humble can of chickpeas. The results will surprise you!

Chickpea Oatmeal Raisin Cookies - Traditional oatmeal raisin cookies are transformed with a humble can of chickpeas. The results will surprise you! | QueenofMyKitchen.com | #easy #healthy #gluten-free #healthycookies #healthyoatmealcookies #healthy #oatmealraisin #cookies #healthybaking

HEALTHY HOLIDAY TREAT
In the world of cookies, the chocolate chip reigns supreme, but not far behind is the oatmeal raisin with its more crumbly, earthy texture and warm, comforting spices. Here’s a healthier version of these classic cookies made with a can of chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans). If you have a health-conscious cookie lover in your life, these would be a perfect holiday treat for them. (more…)

Easy Gluten-Free Turkey Gravy

Finally, an unintimidating recipe for turkey gravy and it’s gluten-free too!

Easy Gluten-Free Turkey Gravy – This foolproof recipe makes gravy that’s every bit as silky, smooth, and delicious as traditional gravy made with flour. Can be made with or without pan drippings | QueenofMyKitchen.com | #thanksgiving #glutenfree #gravy #turkeygravy #turkey #sauce

GRAVY IS ESSENTIAL
There are lots of dishes you can do without on Thanksgiving. I can do without the marshmallow topped sweet potatoes and the mushy green bean casserole made with a can of soup, but there’s one thing most people would agree that you definitely cannot do without on Thanksgiving (aside from Turkey of course) and that’s gravy. Roast turkey is somewhat bland even when it’s cooked to perfection (see my tip at the end of this post for perfectly cooked turkey meat) and thus needs to be topped with gravy to achieve its full glory. So, when you’re the cook, the pressure is on because even if your turkey and all the Thanksgiving sides are perfect, a lackluster gravy will detract from the entire meal. Most gravy recipes are needlessly overcomplicated, which increases the likelihood you’ll mess it up, but this recipe for Easy Gluten-Free Turkey Gravy is pretty much foolproof. It can be made with any amount of turkey drippings – even drippings from a small turkey breast or chicken will produce excellent gravy. You can even make this gravy without turkey drippings and can vary the richness by using either milk, half and half, or heavy cream. (more…)

Pumpkin Spice Grain-Free Granola

 An addictive grain-free granola that’s chock-full of nuts, seeds, and aromatic spices. Great as a trail mix type snack or on top of yogurt.

Pumpkin Spice Grain-Free Granola - An addictive grain-free granola chock-full nuts, seeds, and aromatic spices. Great as a trail mx type snack or on top of yogurt. | QueenofMyKitchen.com | #trailmix #grainfreegranola #granola #pumpkinseeds #pepitas

WHY GO “GRAIN-FREE”

New terms describing adherence to a particular type of diet seem to come out of nowhere every few years. One dietary term I’m hearing more and more frequently these days is “grain-free”, which, as the term implies, means avoiding the consumption of all grains or products that contain grains.  I’d always thought that “whole” grains in particular were desirable as part of a healthy diet, so I was surprised to learn that consuming grains can sometimes cause:

1. skin conditions,
2. digestive problems, and
3. issues with mental acuity

As you might expect, there’s a lot of skepticism around this topic, but suffice it to say that a small subset of the population simply feels better all-around when they either limit their consumption of grains, or don’t eat them at all.

If you think you might be intolerant to grains, check out this article – 9 Signs Your Body Can’t Tolerate Grains.

Oats, one of the most consumed grains here in the U.S., and the main ingredient in traditionally made granola, are off-limits on a grain-free diet, but, this healthy and wholesome Pumpkin Spice Grain-Free Granola is the perfect replacement for conventionally made granola.

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Strawberry Sugar Cookies

Taste the essence of strawberries in these beautiful gluten-free sugar cookies!

Strawberry Sugar Cookies on a plate with milk and a bowl of fresh strawberries

STRAWBERRY SEASON

It’s strawberry season here in Massachusetts, and although these soft and tender Strawberry Sugar Cookies weren’t made with fresh picked strawberries, they are bursting with strawberry flavor. The secret ingredient is freeze-dried strawberries that have been ground into a powder and then incorporated into the cookie dough, giving it not only terrific flavor, but a beautiful pink color. The decorative almonds and cranberries are optional toppings so leave them off if you wish. But, if you have the time, they add a unique touch and make the cookies look extra pretty. (more…)

Mason Jar Brownie Ice Cream

The world’s easiest homemade ice cream.  No churning or fancy equipment required!

Mason Jar Brownie Ice Cream - The world's easiest homemade ice cream. Just 5 simple ingredients and no churning or fancy equipment required! | QueenofMyKitchen.com | #icecream #masonjaricecream #dessert

HOMEMADE ICE CREAM MADE IN A MASON JAR? REALLY?

Making ice cream from scratch can be a bit of a project and typically requires some type of an ice cream maker. So when I read about making ice cream in a mason jar, although I was intrigued, I figured it was probably a gimmicky method that wouldn’t produce good tasting ice cream. I was even more skeptical because the article about this unique ice cream making technique was, quite apparently, using a stock photo instead of a picture of ice cream that was actually made using the recipe (“Getty Images” appears at the bottom of the photo).  However, this Mason Jar Brownie Ice Cream is proof that my skepticism was unwarranted! (more…)

Healthy Curry Chicken Salad

A lightened-up curry chicken salad made with Greek yogurt and avocado mayonnaise.  Free of unhealthy, overly processed, refined oils.

Healthy Curry Chicken Salad - A lightened-up curry chicken salad free of unhealthy, overly processed, refined oils. Made with Greek yogurt and avocado mayonnaise. | QueenofMyKitchen.com | #chickensalad #currychickensalad #lunch

WHAT MAKES GREAT CHICKEN SALAD? 

In my opinion, there are 3 crucial elements to delicious chicken salad:

  1. Properly cooked chicken
  2. High quality mayonnaise free of any unhealthy, overly processed, refined oils, and
  3. An ingredient with “crunch”

This Healthy Curry Chicken Salad delivers on all three of these essential elements of great chicken salad and adds a healthy twist by using half mayonnaise and half Greek yogurt for the dressing base. This is a basic, foolproof, chicken salad recipe that you can customize to your liking by varying the herbs, spices, nuts, and dried fruit/berries. (See the last paragraph of this post for suggestions.)

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