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Cajun Pork Roast

Yield – 6 servings

Preparation Time – 10 minutes

Cooking Time -1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/4 Cup Blackening Seasoning
• 2 Tablespoons Dairy Free Margarine (Earth’s Balance, Fleischmann’s Unsalted, or Earth’s Best are good options)
• 3-5 lb Pork Roast

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Directions

• Preheat your oven to 375F.
• Heat a dutch oven over medium high heat.
• Coat the entire roast with the blackening seasoning.
• Melt the dairy free margarine or oil in the dutch oven and sear the pork roast on all sides.
• Cover the roast and put the pan in the oven for about 1 hour and 30 minutes for a roast that’s closer to 3 pounds and 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours for a larger roast.
• Allow to cool before slicing.

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Alea’s Asian Chicken Skillet

Yield – 4 – 6 servings

Preparation Time – 15 minutes

Cooking Time – 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 3/4 lb. chicken cut into bite size pieces
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
• 1 cup julienned carrots
• 1/2 cup bell pepper, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, mined
• 1/2 cup rice vinegar
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1/2 cup soy sauce ( I use gluten-free soy sauce)
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 honey or sugar
• 3 tablespoons grated ginger (tip for freezing leftover ginger)
• 1 cup white basmati rice
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds (optional)
• 2 cups broccoli, finely chopped

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Directions

• Brown chicken in a large skillet with a lid.
• While the chicken is browning, mix the vinegar, oil, soy sauce, honey, and ginger together in a small bowl.
• Add the rest of the veggies, except for the broccoli. Add the rice, sesame seeds, sauce, and broth. Cook over a medium-high flame until it reaches a boil.
• Lower flame, place lid on pan and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Add broccoli and simmer for an additional 5 minutes or until liquid is cooked off.
• Let stand for 5 minutes.

I like to serve this on a bed of greens. The sauce from the Asian Chicken Skillet drips down and serves as a dressing for the greens.

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Alea’s Peppermint Divinity

Adapted from Divinity

Yield – 2 1/2 – 3 dozen

Preparation Time - 5 minutes

Cooking Time - 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup (recipe to make corn syrup substitute)
• 2 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2/3 cup finely crushed candy canes

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Directions

• In a large pot, mix sugar, corn syrup and water. Cook over a medium-high heat, while stirring until the mixture comes to a boil.
• Clip candy thermometer to the pan. Continue cooking over medium-high heat without stirring until it reaches 260 degrees (hard-ball stage).
• While the sugar mixture is boiling, beat egg whites in a large bowl on a medium speed until they form stiff peaks, when pushed with a spoon.
• Gradually pour the hot sugar mixture in a thin stream over the egg whites, while the mixer is still set on medium. After all of the hot mixture has been added to the egg whites, increase speed to high and beat for about 3 minutes.
• Turn off mixer and scrape sides of bowl. Add vanilla. Continue beating on high until the candy starts to lose its gloss (about 5-6 minutes). When beaters are lifted, the candy should fall in a thick ribbon and form a mound.
• Stir in candy cane pieces, then drop with a tablespoon onto wax paper.
• Let them set until they have cooled and the outer layer has become somewhat dry and not sticky (1–2 hours). Store in an airtight container.

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Pork Roast with Pumpkin Pie Spiced Sweet Potatoes

Yield – 4 – 6 servings

Preparation Time - 10 minutes

Cooking Time -  1 1/2 hours

Ingredients

• 2 – 3 lb. pork roast
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 medium sweet potatoes or yams
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

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Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Add olive oil to an oven safe pan. Place roast in pan and brown on all sides over a medium-high heat.
• While the meat is browning, mix orange juice, honey, and spices in a small bowl.
• Once the meat is browned, pour half of the honey spice mix over the roast. Place a lid on the pot (or cover tightly with foil) and place it in the oven. Cook for 30 minutes.
• While the meat is cooking, wash and coarsely chop the sweet potatoes. I leave the skin on.
• Add the sweet potatoes to the pot and drizzle the remaining honey spice mix over the potatoes. Toss to coat the potatoes. Place lid back on pot and cook for 1 hour or until the roast reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees and the sweet potatoes are fork tender.

I place the pork roast and sweet potatoes on a platter and then spoon the drippings over the roast and potatoes. I serve this with a salad made of winter greens and topped with a sweet and tangy dressing like Orange Mustard Vinaigrette.

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Corn Chicken Chili

Yield – 4 servings

Preparation Time – 15 minutes

Cooking Time – 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp olive oil ($.10)
• 1 small onion, finely chopped ($.20)
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed ($.05)
• 1 can Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained ($.19)
• 2 cups chicken broth (homemade or store bought) (free if homemade!)
• 2 cups shredded chicken ($2)
• 2 15 oz. cans whole corn kernels, drained ($1)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Sour cream and cilantro, for garnish ($.55)
• Bread and butter ($.50)

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Directions

• In a large Dutch oven or saucepan, heat the olive oil and saute the onions and garlic for 2-3 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes with green chilies, 2 cups chicken broth PLUS 3-4 CUPS HOT WATER (depending on how thin/thick you want the chili). Stir in the shredded chicken and the corn, drained.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add a dollop of sour cream and some chopped cilantro (optional) to each serving bowl.
• Prepare bread and butter.
• Serve Corn Chicken Chili with bread and butter.

Cost $4.59

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Lemon Pepper Quinoa with Chicken

Yield – 4 servings

Preparation Time – 5 minutes

Cooking Time – 20 minutes quinoa, 20 minutes grilling the chicken (I suggest using batch grilled chicken to save on time!)

Ingredients

• 2 large lemon pepper-marinated chicken breasts, grilled and diced ($2.50)
• 1 1/2 cup white quinoa ($1.25)
• 2 cups chicken stock (I used homemade chicken stock from the freezer)
• 1 Tablespoon lemon pepper seasoning ($.10)
• 2 large broccoli heads, steamed and cut into florets ($.80)

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Directions

• In a medium saucepan, bring the 2 cups of chicken stock plus 1 cup of water to a boil, then add the quinoa and the lemon pepper seasoning. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the little rings have separated and the quinoa is tender.
• Cut up the grilled chicken into bite size pieces, then toss with the lemon pepper quinoa.
• Steam and cut the broccoli. Or use some from the freezer. Serve on the side, or mix it all together…lemon and broccoli go really well together too!
• Serve Lemon Pepper Quinoa with Chicken and side of broccoli.

Cost $4.65

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Savory Butternut Soup

Yield – 6 servings

Preparation Time – 1 hour

Cooking Time – 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 medium butternut squash (2 cups roasted)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons dairy free margarine or oil
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 medium russet potato, cooked
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• pinch of cayenne pepper
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste

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Directions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees and oil a baking sheet
• Cut squash in half, scoop out the seeds and place cut side up on the baking sheet.
• Pierce the flesh of the squash a few times with a fork or knife.
• Roast squash for 45 minutes.
• Remove from oven and let cool until you can handle it.
• Scoop the flesh of the squash out of the skin and reserve.
• In a dutch oven saute the onion and garlic in the dairy free margarine on medium heat until soft and lightly golden in color.
• Slowly add in the vegetable stock and remaining ingredients.
• Mash them up a little in the pot to combine. You will have lumps at this point and it will not be perfect. Don’t worry, we’ll make it all smooth in just a bit.
• Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
• To smooth out the soup pour it into a blender and blend on low until it’s the consistency you’d like.
• Enjoy!

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Alea’s White Chili with Ground Turkey

Yield - 8 servings

Preparation Time - 10 minutes

Cooking Time - 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 lb. ground turkey
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups cooked beans (How to Quickly Cook Beans in a Pressure Cooker) or 2 cans beans
• 5 cups chicken broth (How to Make Chicken Broth in a Slow Cooker)
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 3 chili peppers, deseeded and diced
• 2 tablespoons cumin
• 1 tablespoon marjoram
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
• 2 cups cooked rice (How to Make Rice in a Pressure Cooker)
• 1 (15 oz.) can corn, drained

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Directions

• In a large pot, brown onion and garlic and ground turkey. .
• In a small bowl, mix 1 cup of chicken broth and cornstarch with a whisk. Add it along with the rest of the broth to the turkey.
• Stir in all of the other ingredients, except for the corn and rice. Cook over a medium-high flame and bring to a boil.
• Cover; reduce flame to low heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Add corn and rice and simmer for an additional 5 minutes.

I serve chili with a garden salad and homemade Gluten-Free Herbed Bread Sticks.

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Savory Slow Cooker Chicken and Butternut Squash

Yield – 4 servings

Preparation Time – 10 minutes

Cooking Time – 8 hours in slow cooker

Ingredients

• 3 small chicken breasts (about 1 1/3 lb.) ($2.50)
• 2 tsps red wine vinegar ($.05)
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 bag baby carrots, or 4-5 peeled carrots sticks ($.67)
• 1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced ($.59)
• 2 tsp Italian seasonings ($.10)
• Whole wheat dinner rolls or toast with butter ($.75)

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Directions

• Place the chicken breasts in the base of the slow cooker and splash the vinegar over the top. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add the baby carrots and butternut squash around and on top of the chicken. Season with the Italian seasonings and more salt and pepper if you like.
• Set the slow cooker on low for 8 hours.
• Prepare bread or toast.
• Serve Savory Slow Cooker Chicken and Butternut Squash with carrots and toast.

Cost $4.66