Roasted Fennel & Rainbow Carrot Soup

Happy Wednesday! I hope you all had a Merry Christmas!

This soup is SO delicious and perfect for the winter season! It is so creamy and rich, but contains no dairy! Not only is the soup delicious, it is healthy for you as well! Rainbow carrots contain so many nutrients, including vitamin A, vitamin C, antioxidants, and potassium. You will feel rejuvenated and ready to seize the day after you enjoy this warming soup! 

Onto the recipe!

Roasted Fennel & Rainbow Carrot Soup

• 2 fennel bulbs, quartered and sliced (reserve fennel fronds for garnish)
• 20 ounces rainbow carrots, medium diced
• 1 quart chicken stock
• 2 shallots, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, diced
• olive oil 
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper, to taste
• coconut cream, to top soup (optional)

Heat your oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, toss carrots and fennel with olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne, Roast for about 30 minutes, tossing once halfway through.

While the vegetables are roasting, we are going to make the stock! In a large pan, add about 1 tablespoon of olive oil of medium-high heat. Once hot, add shallots and garlic, Saute for about 3 minutes, or until translucent. Add in chicken stock and let come to a rapid boil. 

Time to blend! Add half roasted vegetables and half stock in a blender and blend until creamy. Ladle soup into bowls, top with coconut cream, and fresh fennel fronds. Enjoy this yummy and healthy soup!

-Juliet

Gluten-Free Gingerbread Muffins

Happy Thursday!! Only 2 more days until Christmas! I absolutely love this time of the year, and all of the festivities, such as getting together with the whole family, and cooking & baking tons of food! These gluten-free gingerbread muffins will be a hit at your holiday party! They are perfectly light and fluffy. 

Onto the recipe!

Gluten-Free Gingerbread Muffins (yields a dozen muffins)

• 1 cup gluten-free all purpose flour blend (I use Namaste brand)
• 1/3 cup zuvii banana flour
• 3/4 cup pure cane sugar (coconut sugar works too)
• 7 tablespoons grass-fed butter, melted
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• gluten-free granola, to top (check out my granola recipe!)

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Line a 12-count muffin tray with muffin liners. 

Sift together the all purpose flour, banana flour, cane sugar, allspice, and ground ginger in a small bowl.

Whisk together eggs, milk, and molasses in a large bowl. Quickly whisk in the melted butter. Now mix in the dry ingredients until well-combined. Divide evenly among the 12 muffin liners. Top with a sprinkle of gluten-free granola. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until golden-brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Enjoy!

Have a Merry Christmas!!

-Juliet

Cabernet Sauvignon Braised Short Ribs topped with Sprout Salad over Cheddar-Chili Polenta

Happy Monday!! This elegant dinner has so many different flavors that go so well together- you will fall in love when you first taste it! The short ribs braised in Cabernet Sauvignon are fall off the bone tender, the polenta has a perfect amount of spiciness, and the sprout salad adds a fresh and nutty flavor (thanks to the bean sprouts!) 

Let's get to cooking, shall we?

Cabernet Sauvignon Braised Short Ribs topped with Sprout Salad over Cheddar-Chili Polenta

For the short ribs;

• 8 short ribs (dredged in gluten-free flour & seasoned with salt and pepper)
• 1 750 ml bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon 
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 4 shallots, diced
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme

For the polenta;

• 2 cups cornmeal
• 10 cups water
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 2 tablespoons grass-fed butter
• 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

For the sprout salad;

• 1/2 cup bean sprouts
• 1/2 cup radish sprouts
• 1/4 cup alfalfa sprouts
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• pinch of sea salt
• pinch of black pepper

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once hot, add in short ribs and brown on each side for about 3-4 minutes. Remove short ribs from dutch oven and set aside. Add shallots, rosemary, and thyme to the pan. Saute for about 3-5 minutes, or until fragrant. Add short ribs back to pan and deglaze the pan with a whole bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon. Let wine come to a boil and reduce almost halfway. Season with salt and pepper. Now add vegetable stock to pan, let come to a slow boil, then cover pan with lid. Place in oven for 3 1/2 hours.

When the short ribs have less then an hour of cooking time to go, it is time to start making the polenta! Bring water and sea salt to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Once boiling, whisk in cornmeal. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for about 45-50 minutes, stirring every 8-10 minutes. At the 45 minute mark, stir in butter, chili, and cheddar cheese.

Once your short ribs have finished, along with the polenta, it is time to toss the sprout salad together! Toss bean sprouts, radish sprouts, and alfalfa sprouts together in a small bowl with olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper.

Serve short ribs over polenta, and garnish with fresh sprout salad. Enjoy!

-Juliet

Banana Flour Peppermint Bark Brownies

Happy Tuesday! I hope your week is going amazing! I can't believe that we only have 18 more days until Christmas! I got to put my tree up over the weekend (while listening to country Christmas songs,) so it's definitely beginning to look like Christmas!!

These banana flour peppermint bark brownies will definitely have you feeling the holiday spirit! The brownies have the perfect chewy and fudgy texture, along with the most perfect crust. The peppermint bark pieces are not only on top of the brownies, they are actually part of the brownie batter as well! I melted the peppermint bark & dark chocolate chips and mixed it into the batter. If you absolutely LOVE chocolate and mint, you will fall in love with this recipe!

Onto the recipe!

Banana Flour Peppermint Bark Brownies 

• 1 cup WEDO banana flour 
• 1/4 cup cacao powder 
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup organic cane sugar (coconut sugar would work too)
• 1 egg 
• 1 pinch of sea salt
• 1/3 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy)
• 1/2 cup grass-fed butter, melted (you can use shortening or coconut oil as a dairy-free sub)
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life Brand)
• 1/2 cup chopped peppermint bark
• peppermint bark pieces, to top brownies

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Grease an 8*12 baking pan with coconut oil. Top with parchment paper.

Melt chocolate chips and peppermint bark together. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together banana flour, cacao powder, cane sugar, and sea salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg, milk, and melted butter. Whisk in melted chocolate. Add wet ingredients to dry and whisk until thoroughly combined.

Pour brownie batter into baking pan and bake for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Top brownies with peppermint bark pieces, and bake again for about 2 minutes, or until chocolate is melted. Let cool for at least an hour, then slice into squares and enjoy!

-Juliet

Pomegranate-Ginger Glazed Chicken Thighs with Roasted Butternut Squash & Jasmine Rice

Happy Saturday! I hope you all are enjoying the weekend! I can't believe today is December 3rd, time is flying by so quickly! 

This dinner is so flavorful and so healthy for you! The delicious glaze is made with coconut aminos, which is a soy-free alternative to soy sauce, along with pomegranate juice, fresh ginger, garlic, shallots, and raw honey! I garnished this dish with fresh pomegranate arils- they are beautiful and so flavorful!

Let's get to cooking!

Pomegranate-Ginger Glazed Chicken Thighs with Roasted Butternut Squash & Jasmine Rice (serves 4)

• 1 lb boneless & skinless chicken thighs
• 1/2 cup pomegranate juice
• 1/2 cup coconut aminos
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 shallots, minced
• 2 cups cubed butternut squash
• 1 cup jasmine rice
• 1 tablespoon grass-fed butter
• olive oil
• salt and pepper, to taste
• fresh pomegranate arils, to garnish
• fresh parsley, to garnish

First we are going to start cooking the rice, since it takes about 45 minutes to cook. Add 1 cup of rice, 1 1/2 cups of water, and 1 tablespoon of grass-fed butter to a pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover with lid and let simmer on low for about 40-45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss butternut squash with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place on baking sheet and bake for about 30 minutes, or until tender.

In a small bowl, whisk together pomegranate juice, coconut aminos, ginger, garlic, shallots, and some pepper. Heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add chicken thighs and season with salt and pepper. Cook on each side for about 5 minutes. Add sauce to pan, let come to a boil and reduce. 

Once the rice has finished, fluff with a fork. Time to start plating! First scoop a cup of rice onto the plate, then top with chicken, sauce, fresh pomegranate arils, and parsley. Serve with a side of the roasted butternut squash. 

Enjoy this delicious & healthy dinner!

-Juliet