GFree and Happy

I am sharing one of my favorite Chef’s gfree dinner recipes. Enjoy

Ingredients

• 2 tsp healthy oil/fat of your choice
• 1 lb boneless, skinless organic chicken breasts cut into 1′ cubes
• 8 oz sliced mushrooms
• 1 onion or large leek, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-2 pinches Kosher/sea salt
• fresh ground pepper to taste, crushed red pepper flakes if you like a little kick
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 Tb brown rice flour or regular whole grain flour if you don’t have gluten free needs
• 2 cups milk (I used 1% milk fat)
• 1/2 cup shredded or grated parmesan cheese
• 1 18 oz roll prepared polenta (or make your own polenta, pour into a loaf pan and let cool until solid then cut into thin slices)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, when hot add oil, swirl to coat. Add the chicken, mushrooms, onion or leek, garlic and seasonings. Stirring often, saute until the chicken and mushrooms are lightly brown and most of the liquid has evaporated off. Stir in the flour then slowly add the milk while stirring constantly. Bring the mixture to a boil then turn off the heat. Stir in the cheese, saving a little or adding more for the top.
3. Slice the polenta in to thin slices.
4. In a lightly oiled casserole dish, ladle a small amount of the sauce into the bottom. Layer the polenta slices and sauce, ending with a layer of the sauce on top.
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown and bubbly. Serve and enjoy!

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I received a nice package in the mail from Naturade last week and enjoyed trying their new shakes! I loved that I was picked to try these and give a little input on my blender fun in the kitchen.

I tried three flavors: Vanilla Total Soy Meal Replacement, Chocolate Total Soy Meal Replacement Shake and Vanilla Pea Protein Shake.

About Naturade:

Naturade has been well known for its commitment to improving the health and well-being of consumers with innovative, natural products since 1926. For seven decades, the company has developed a range of beneficial products that improve health and beauty by restoring the natural balance between nutrients and foodstuffs. Naturade has taken the reins as an innovator in the natural products industry as a provider of natural health products worldwide.

Here is my tasting experience and looking into their ingredients:

All of their shakes were Gluten Free, Lactose Free and Non GMO Soy which made me very happy! I will say the back of the package said: ALLERGEN STATEMENT This product contains ingredients derived from Soy and milk, NO Aspartame, No MSG, no Lactose, Yeast Free, Gluten Free, No egg. Manufactured in a facility that processes Milk, Soy, Eggs and WHEAT.

Top ingredients in the Soy shakes were -

Soy protein isolate is a highly refined or purified form of soy protein with a minimum protein content of 90% on a moisture-free basis.

Fructose, or fruit sugar, is a simple monosaccharide found in many plants, which is also similar to sucrose.

Maltodextrin is an oligosaccharide that is used as a food additive. It is produced from starch by partial hydrolysis and is usually found as a white hygroscopic spray-dried powder.

You can read all of the ingredients and nutritional facts by clicking each drink link provided above.

I had lots of fun taste testing the three shakes. I added fruit in the Pea Protein shake with water and ice. I am not a fan of this taste. But I have also never tried pea protein before. This was my least favorite drink. The packet had 130 calories before adding ingredients.

I made the Soy shakes with hemp milk and ice. They tasted like frosting. My husband also tried these and liked the taste. It also tasted like the weight watchers shakes I had tried in the past.  These packets were 140 calories before adding ingredients. If you just added water and ice there wouldn’t be any added calories. They do suggest that on the package.

On my quest to feeling my best I have cut out most sugar from my lifestyle. So desserts and processed foods are not an every day enjoyment. These shakes could be a fun mid day drink that will give you a nice “pick me up” and I would savor the chocolate taste! My big comfort food of all time is chocolate frosting (I know weird) and the chocolate shake made me very happy. Not sure a protein drink should taste like frosting though.

Thank you Naturade for sending me this fun package of shakes to try! I enjoyed it!

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I have been enjoying my healthy happy lifestyle but once a week I have some kind of craving. It’s usually carbs. My daily routine doesn’t involve much sugar or grains because my body doesn’t like them anymore.  Today I think I triggered my craving by seeing a new gluten free item at my local store. A weakness of mine is chocolate covered Glutino Pretzels. OH MY! I can eat the whole bag in one sitting! The last time I ate them was on vacation in March. My local store FINALLY stocked more gluten free items and I can’t eat them anymore… I even put them in my cart and almost made it to the checkout stand when I put them back. YA me! But now I am craving sugary chocolate.

The last hour I have been looking though gluten free chocolate Pinterest pages. I looked at chocolate cakes, frostings and ding dongs! Finally I decided to just make something sweet and chocolaty. Except I do not stock processed sugar or chocolate anymore.  So I made a yummy chocolate meringue to satisfy my craving.

Now I can go on with my day

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