Dairy Free Marry Me Chicken

 

I've seen several recipes called "marry me" chicken that were all wildly different. This one I have adapted from a video I watched on Tik Tok. The person sharing it didn't give amounts, just what ingredients they used. I have written down what I used but it is definitely a recipe that can be changed to suit your preferences. I made this dairy free by using coconut milk but you can substitute another milk if you don't like the taste of coconut milk, as it does come through a little in the sauce. I think oat or almond milk would probably work just fine, although may not be as rich. 

This comes together fairly quickly, can be doubled for a larger crowd, can be made ahead and reheated, and is super tasty and easy to make. 

 Dairy Free Marry Me Chicken

Ingredients

1 jar sundried tomatoes, coarsely chopped (about 1/2 cup)

oil from the sundried tomatoes

1 medium onion, diced

1/2 head garlic, chopped

2 cups chicken bone broth (or chicken broth)

1 cup coconut milk

1 - 2 tsp cornstarch

2 - 3 cups spinach, chopped

salt, pepper, red pepper flakes

Chicken

4 chicken breasts, halved horizontally

1/2 cup flour

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp paprika (or smoked paprika) 

Directions

Mix together the flour and spices. Dredge the chicken in the mixture set aside.

Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add half the oil from sundried tomatoes to the pan. Cook chicken until browned on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.

In the same pan, add the remaining oil from the sundried tomatoes to deglaze the pan. Be sure to scrape up all the bits from the bottom of the pan. Add in the onions, garlic, and sundried tomatoes. 

Cook, stirring constantly, until onions soften - about 5 minutes. Add in the chicken bone broth and bring to a simmer. Add in the coconut milk and stir to combine well. Simmer for 3 minutes. 

Remove about 1/2 cup of the sauce and whisk 1 - 2 tsp of cornstarch into it. When lumps are gone, pour this back into the pan. 

Add in the chopped spinach and the chicken. 

Let the chicken simmer in the sauce over low heat for about 5 - 8 minutes. Chicken should read 165 F (74C) when it is fully cooked. 
Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, to taste. Serve hot over rice, mashed potatoes, or pasta 

From start to finish (including prepping veggies) in about 30 - 40 minutes. 

A delicious, dairy free recipe that also works super well for meal prepping as it freezes well. 

Dairy Free Loaded Pizza

 

Wow! It's been a while since I've posted a new recipe. I've had a few big life changes that have kept me super busy. I came down with a cold this week so I though this would be the perfect time to post some of the things I've been working on. 

This dairy-free pizza came about because my boyfriend's son has a severe dairy allergy. I wanted to come up with something that still felt pizza-y without using vegan cheese. I'm not a huge fan of most vegan cheeses. Please feel free to comment below if you know if a good one! I'm always on the lookout. 

Dairy Free Loaded Pizza

Ingredients

Pizza Crust 

Our recipe can be found here - PIZZA CRUST  

Dairy Free "Ricotta"

8 oz artichoke hearts in olive oil

14 oz extra firm tofu

Toppings

1 head roasted garlic

1 - 2 cups Dairy Free "Ricotta" (recipe above)

2 Tbsp oil

2 large bell peppers, sliced

1 large onion, sliced

1 1lb ground beef

~1 cup marinara sauce (I use Raos) 

Directions

Prepare pizza crust. You can follow our recipe (HERE) or use your own. Our recipe will make enough for 3 - 12" pizzas (2 if you like a really thick crust)

Prepare the toppings while the dough is rising.

Prepare Dairy Free Ricotta - In a food processor, pulse artichoke hearts and tofu until mixture resembles ricotta cheese. (Everything should be in smaller bits and look crumbly) 

In a large frying pan, fry peppers and onion in oil until wilted - about 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat.

 In the same pan, add ground beef and cook until browned. Drain off excess grease and stir in about 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce. Set aside. 

Have your toppings all ready to go when the dough has completed its rise. 

Prepare pizza - Divide dough into 3 equal pieces. The toppings here are enough for 2 pizzas. You can freeze the 3rd piece of dough for use later OR make 2 larger, thicker crust pizzas.) 

Preheat oven to 400. 

Press dough into 2 - 12 inch pizza pans lined with parchment paper OR oil well with olive oil. 

Bake the crusts for about 8 minutes, until edges are just ever-so-slightly brown.  Remove from heat and top the crusts. 

Crumble about 1 cup of the dairy free ricotta on each crust. Squeeze out the roast garlic and distribute on the 2 pizzas. 

Top each with half of the pepper/onion mix and the ground beef.

Put back in 400 oven for another 15 or so minutes - until crust is golden brown. 

Heat the remaining 1/2 cup of marinara sauce and drizzle over the two pizzas. 

You can, of course, use more garlic, more marinara, more of any of the ingredients, if you prefer. 

I had about 1 cup or so of the dairy free "ricotta" left over. I am currently looking for another way to use it up. I will let you know what I come up with!

You won't miss the cheese on these. The "ricotta" makes the topping feel more pizza-y without adding any dairy. You could make these with a Pillsbury pizza crust or even using naan or pita bread for individual pizzas. 

My boyfriend's son enjoyed these so I am counting the recipe as a success. I liked them as well. I made my crusts a little thicker than I usually do so that threw me off BUT I will definitely make these toppings again and be sure to make a thinner crust. 

If you try it, let us know how it turned out for you. 

Keto Fathead Lasagna

 

We have a few recipes for healthier lasagna recipes on the blog. You can find them by searching "lasagna" in the little search box at the top left of the screen. This particular recipe is keto friendly, gluten free, and very VERY filling. Fathead dough mimics regular lasagna noodles so you get the taste AND texture of lasagna. Fathead dough is a popular keto friendly substitute for quite a few other doughs. Again, search "fathead" in the search box at the top of the page for more ideas on how to use it.

According to MyFitnessPal, this lasagna is: 518 calories, 40 fat, 8 carbs, 0.5 fiber, 35 protein, so 7.5 net carbs per serving. Recipe, as written, makes 8 servings. 

NOTE - you can make this in a 9 X 13 pan or in 8 individual 4 x 5 containers. 

Keto Fathead Lasagna

Ingredients

"Noodles"

 8 oz cream cheese, room temp

2 cups mozzarella, shredded

1/2 cup parmesan, shredded

salt & pepper

3 eggs, beaten

Meat Layer

1 Tbsp oil

1/2 medium onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp tomato paste

1 lb ground beef

salt & pepper

3/4 cup low/no sugar tomato sauce (I use Raos)

Cheese Layer

2 cups ricotta cheese

1 cup mozzarella, shredded

Topping

1/2 cup mozzarella, shredded

1/2 cup parmesan, shredded

parsley

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, set aside. 

Prepare noodles - Place cream cheese, mozza and parmesan, salt & pepper in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring well in between, until melted and mixed well. Add in beaten eggs and beat until well incorporated. Batter will be lumpy. 

Pour onto prepared cookie sheet and spread evenly. 

Bake at 350 until firm and lightly browned on top, about 15 - 20 minutes. 

Let cool before cutting into pieces. 

If using a 9 X 13 - cut into 3 equal pieces. If using the 8 individual containers, cut into 24 pieces. 

While "noodles" are cooking, prepare the meat sauce.

Heat oil in a pan, add in onion and garlic until softened. Add in tomato paste, beef, and salt & pepper. Cook until beef is browned. *If there is a lot of grease, drain it off.

Add in the tomato sauce and stir well. Remove from heat.

Assemble lasagna:

Layer 1: 1/3 of the noodles, 1/3 of ricotta, 1/3 of meat sauce, 1/2 of mozza

Layer 2: 1/3 of the noodles, 1/3 of the ricotta, 1/3 of the meat sauce, 1/2 of the mozza

Layer 3: last of the noodles, last of the ricotta, last of the meat sauce, and then the toppings of mozza, parmesan, and parsley. 

Cook at 250 until bubbly and cheese on top is melted, about 30 or so minutes. Time differs depending on if you use one pan or individual pans. You just want it to be bubbly and melty. 

Serve hot.

I make this in individual pans because it makes it easier to share with family and easier to freeze. If you make it in a 9 x 13, cut into 8 pieces. Of course, you can cut it into however many pieces you want, but the nutritional info is for 8 servings. I usually serve it with cucumbers or salad or tomato slices for a delicious keto friendly/low carb dinner. The serving sizes may seem smallish but with how rich it is... they are just the right size, IMO. 

Pork and Veggie Ramen Bowls

 

Whenever I make a pork roast I end up with leftovers and I'm always looking for recipes that will use them up. I saw a similar idea to this over on Tik Tok and decided to experiment. 

Peeps, this recipe is sooooo good! 

It only takes about 20 minutes from start to finish and makes 4 generous servings. I use my leftover pork roast but you could use pork tenderloin or even pork chops. It's a simple combination of flavors but the end result is amazing! I used carrots, broccoli, snow peas, and bok choy but you could easily sub your favorite veggies. 

Pork And Vegetable Ramen Bowls

Ingredients

2 (85 gr/3 oz) pkgs ramen noodles

1 lb pork, cooked, sliced thinly 

1 Tbsp oil

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup soy sauce

1 - 2 Tbsp chili garlic sauce

1/2 cup carrots, sliced thinly

1/2 cup broccoli, chopped

1/2 cup bok choy, sliced thinly

1/2 cup snow peas, cut in half

green onions & sesame seeds for serving

Directions

Open ramen noodles and discard flavor packages (save for another use). Cook noodles in boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain and set aside. 

First photo is the brand of noodles I used, for reference.

Set drained noodles aside while you prepare veggies and pork.

While noodles are cooking, heat oil over medium heat in a large pan. Add the vegetables and stir fry until done - about 5 - 8 minutes. (I like to cook them for about 5 minutes then add a few tablespoons of water and put the lid on so they steam for another 2 - 3 minutes.) Add in the brown sugar, soy sauce, and chili garlic sauce. Reduce heat and simmer about 5 minutes, until vegetables are cooked to your preference and sauce is sticky. 

Add in the cooked, sliced pork.

Cook until pork is heated through. 

Add the cooked noodles to the pan and cook and stir until the noodles are heated and coated in sauce. 

Serve in bowls, sprinkled with green onions and sesame seeds. 

The brand of noodles I buy (see photo above) comes with little packets of soy sauce and chili sauce so I serve the ramen bowls with those packets for guests who like to add more to their noodles. 

Pork and Veggie Ramen Bowls make a quick and easy lunch or dinner and work well to make ahead as they will keep, covered, in the fridge for a few days. 

If you don't have leftover pork you can use raw pork - in the step where you would heat up the leftovers, simply cook the raw pork instead. 

Mediterranean Brown Rice Salad

Sometimes you need to step outside your comfort zone and just try something new. 

We don't generally eat rice in salads but after trying this recipe that will be changing. The textures and flavors and colors of this salad are amazing. It does take a little bit of prep but nothing too crazy. 

If you are looking for something different to bring to a potluck or family dinner, try this! Mom brought it to her church dinner and they loved it. A healthier alternative to the usual heavy macaroni or potato salad. 

Mediterranean Brown Rice Salad

Ingredients

Dressing

3 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 Tbsp honey

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp dried dill 

juice of 1 lemon

salt & pepper

Salad

1 cup brown rice, uncooked

2 bell peppers, diced

1/2 cucumber, diced

1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

1 (341 ml) can corn 

1 small purple onion, diced

1 (540 ml) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

3 cups spinach, chopped

1 (210 ml) jar sundried tomatoes, drained and chopped

1/2 cup feta (divided)

1/2 cup pine nuts (divided)

Directions

Whisk together dressing ingredients until well mixed. Set aside.

Cook brown rice as per package instructions. Let cool.

In a large bowl, mix together cooled rice, peppers, cucumber, tomatoes, corn, onion, chickpeas, spinach, sundried tomatoes, and 1/4 cup of the feta and pine nuts. 

Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat. 

Chill, covered, until ready to eat - at least 2 - 3 hours. When ready to serve, sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup feta and pine nuts. 

Easy peasy, good for a crowd, full of healthy ingredients, and, most importantly, super delicious!

As with most salads, you can sub ingredients or switch them up to suit your preferences. Throw in some olives if you like olives, add more spinach or less corn.... you get the point! 

The next time I make this I might at some chicken and just have it as a meal instead of a side. 

Garlic Pickle Pizza

If you love pizza and pickles then have we got the recipe for you!

To be fair, I don't really love pickles but they go really well on this pizza. You start with a garlic sauce instead of tomato based so it's deliciously different. The recipe, as written makes 2 large pizzas. 

I cut the second into slices and individually wrapped and froze them. Just pop them in the microwave for a minute or two and they are a great, quick lunch/snack. 

Bring this to your next get together and impress your friends!

Garlic Pickle Pizza

Ingredients

Garlic Sauce

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup mayo

1 tsp dried dill

1 Tbsp pickle juice

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 tsp pepper

Pizza

2 (1 lb each) balls of pizza dough

(We double THIS RECIPE for dough)

1 jar sliced pickles (about 3 cups)

1/2 cup sliced onions

3 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 cup parmesan cheese, shredded

1 tsp dried parsley (for garnish)

Directions

Preheat oven to 425. Lightly grease 2 large pizza pans (or line with parchment paper). You can also use one large cookie sheet or 4 - 8 inch pans. 

Prepare the garlic sauce by mixing the sour cream, mayo, dill, pickle juice, garlic powder, garlic, and pepper together well. Set side. (This can be made a day ahead if you want more intense flavor.) 

Press the pizza dough to the edges of the prepared pan. 

Spread half of the sauce on each pizza. 

Top with pickles, onions, mozza, parmesan. 

Bake at 425 for about 15 - 20 minutes, rotating once halfway. Top should be bubbly and brown. 

Cut into pieces and serve hot. 

You can use store bought pizza dough or make your own. Our recipe can be found HERE. (Just remember to double it)  You can even use pita shells, Pillsbury crust,  or tortillas as a base if you prefer. 

Garlic pickle pizza is super simple to whip up and freezes very well. 

There is no need to add extra salt as the pickle themselves are quiet salty. 

Our mom loves this and she is not a big pizza fan. She says it reminds her of a grilled cheese with pickles on it. FYI - do yourself a favor and make extra of the garlic sauce. It's delicious as a veggie dip or salad dressing!