Honey Mustard Glazed Salmon

I was fumbling in the freezer the other day looking for some dinner inspiration, and came across a couple of salmon fillets waaaaaay in the back - quite lonely and forgotten.  I defrosted them in the fridge and threw this meal together in a snap.

It got rave reviews from my kiddos and I wanted to pass it onto you.  I served it with baked sweet potatoes (a treat for us as it's not SCD compliant) and some sauteed baby bok choy.

We're all salmon fans, but I think this recipe would work with any fish.  If you try it on a different type of fish, please let me know how it turned out in the comments section below.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

4 salmon fillets 

4 tablespoons course grain mustard (I used Boar's Head deli style)

4 tablespoons honey

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons Worcestershire (you can omit to make SCD compliant)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

Instructions:

Rinse salmon fillets and pat dry.  Place fillets in gallon-sized zip-top plastic bag.

Whisk together next 7 ingredients.  Pour over fillets.  Remove air from bag and zip closed.  Marinate for 30 minutes in the fridge.

Remove salmon from bag and place on baking sheet.  Drizzle marinade on top of each fillet.  Broil until glaze has browned, flip, then drizzle with more marinade and broil other side until fish is flaky and glaze is nicely browned.

(I think this would be yummy served with Apple Mango Salsa...)

Iced Coffee (dairy free, refined sugar free)

I want to thank a couple of friends (Marti and Charlotte) for telling me about the Pioneer Woman's post for Perfect Iced Coffee.  LIFE SAVER...

As you might have read, we have a newborn in the house - thus the need for Mommy to have a little go-juice to help me get through the day.  (Can someone please tell me when newborns sleep through the night?)

Anyhoo, P-dub makes two gallons of this delightful nectar, but I scaled it down to one gallon.  In addition, too much caffeine gives me a whopping headache, so I used two-thirds decaf coffee to one-third regular.  I prefer to use a decaf that doesn't use chemicals to remove the caffeine.  If a coffee is labeled "organic" you can be pretty sure it's safe from being chemically processed, but I would contact the company and read labels to be certain.  I found out that the Fresh Market Decaf Blend, one of my favorites, uses a water process to remove the caffeine.

Here's my version of P-dubs Perfect Iced Coffee.  Though it lacks half-and-half and sweetened condensed milk (sigh), I think it's pretty good and, at this stage in my life, a gift from the Lord to help me get and/or keep moving.  

Onward and upward!  I think I hear laundry calling...

Iced Coffee (dairy free and refined sugar free)

Ingredients:

3 oz. regular freshly ground coffee (I used The Fresh Market Blend)

6 oz. decaf freshly ground coffee (again, TFM blend)

1 gallon (4 quarts) filtered water 

Instructions:

Place ground coffee into a large container or pitcher.  Add water.  Allow to brew at least 8 hours or overnight.

Strain through a small sieve lined with paper towels (I'm all out of cheesecloth.)

I use either cashew milk or cashew cream and agave nectar and/or stevia to sweeten.  Enjoy!

(P-dub says this keeps for about a month in the fridge.)

The Package Has Been Delivered!!

Meet our new little bundle of joy!

BIG F A T waiting...

Today is pretty monumental.  We're supposed to bring home our little bundle as soon as it's "official".  (BIG F A T sigh) 

This all seems very surreal to me.  It's been a 5 1/2 year wait and I almost don't know what to do with myself.  Did I get too used to waiting?

Will I remember how to do all of this baby stuff? It's been awhile and I'm (ahem) a little older than last time.  Oh, and I happen to love sleeping...

All that off my chest, we're VERY excited and appreciate your thoughts and prayers during all of this.  I'll keep you posted as I can.

I want to mention a wonderful dinner I tried yesterday.  We've been running back and forth to the hospital so much, I've not been able to share a meal with my kids.  I saw this wonderful recipe for Roasted Leek and Mushroom Pork Chops from Amber at The Tasty Alternative and really, really wanted to try it.

I threw it together at lunchtime yesterday and snarfed it down before leaving for the hospital to see the baby.  This meal came together quickly, only took 20-30 minutes to cook, AND was delish.

Amber posted the recipe with a yummy-looking applesauce.  I didn't try it, (sorry Amber) but just peeled some organic Braeburn apples, threw them in a pot with some water and cooked them up.  At the end, I sprinkled cinnamon and stirred.

These chops will definitely be one of our regulars for dinner. 

My BIG F A T Life...

I'm feeling a little Deja vu right about now.   See this post to be brought up to speed.  (See Part II and Part III for the BIG F A T skinny.)

So, I'm up on the labor and delivery floor waiting for our third child to be born by someone else - a very brave someone else.

I'm not going to blog about food today...except to say that dairy free Vegan Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream from The Tasty Alternative would calm my nerves.  I must also say that I have an extremely patient husband who listened carefully while I just took a full five minutes to explain how to order and fix my iced coffee from Panera. 

I'm at a loss for words today...which, you've probably already guessed...is very rare for the likes of me.  We're waiting with anticipation, hope, excitement and yet, at the same time, are guarding our hearts.

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.  

Chicken with Mushroom Wine "Cream" Sauce (grain free, gluten free, dairy free)

Do you have foodie friends?  You know, the kind of friends you call to ask cooking questions and tremble every time you have them over for dinner?

Well, I have them too.  A dear friend (from my young, single days) married a really nice guy (who I consider to be a friend now too, although he probably wouldn't sing 80s songs and tap dance with me like his wife would.)  

Anyway, this guy is a fabulous cook.  In fact, I call him every Thanksgiving for help and last minute tips. EVERY Thanksgiving.  (sheepish grin)  He's been known to answer the phone, "Turkey Hotline.  How can we help you?"  True story.

So, our friends invited us over for dinner and made this delicious pan seared chicken with a mushroom sherry cream sauce that was TDF (to die for).  My husband is still talking about it. 

I just had to try and recreate it using cashew milk in place of the heavy cream.  Also, Sherry is not SCD compliant, so I replaced it with Chardonnay and a touch of honey for a slight sweetness.  Though the honey seems out of place, trust me on this one - it mimics the Sherry deliciously.

It's a simple meal that comes together quickly, but tastes like you slaved all day.  Simple enough for a weekday meal and special enough for company.  I hope you enjoy!

Chicken with Mushroom Wine "Cream" Sauce (grain free, gluten free, dairy free) 

Ingredients: 
8 chicken breast halves
sea salt and pepper
extra virgin olive oil
16 oz. baby bella or button mushrooms, quartered
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 cup white wine (Chardonnay)
1 1/2 cups cashew milk
1-2 teaspoons honey (optional)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350F.  Make chicken into cutlets by slicing them in half lengthwise.  Place on a parchment or aluminum foil-lined cookie sheet.  Salt and pepper the chicken on both sides.

Heat a large saute pan on medium heat. Once hot, add a few glugs of olive oil.  Fry the chicken, browning on both sides, but not cooking through.  Remove chicken to 9x13 glass pyrex dish.  Set aside and continue browning chicken in batches.  When finished, place glass baking dish in oven for about 20 minutes, or until juices run clear.

Meanwhile, make sauce:  In the same saute pan, add mushrooms and stir.  If pan is dry, add a little more olive oil. Saute for a few minutes until golden brown.  Remove pan from heat.  Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds.  Return pan to heat and add wine.  Stir well and reduce until most of the wine is evaporated.  

Just before the chicken is done, add cashew milk and stir.  (If it cooks too long, the cashew milk will over-thicken.)  Remove chicken from glass pan and arrange on serving platter. Chicken will have accumulated juices after baking.  Add the juices to the sauce and stir to incorporate.  Next, add honey and stir well.   

Taste and adjust seasonings (including salt, pepper or wine).  Pour over chicken and serve.