Gluten Free Sandwich Series #1: Chicken Breast with Olive Tapenade

As a schoolteacher I view late August and early September as BACK TO SCHOOL SEASON. For me it means getting back into routine and spending MORE time working and less time in the kitchen/at the dinner table.

This fall I am doing a SANDWICH SERIES on the blog. I am highlighting quick and easy GROWN UP SANDWICHES that can be made for that busy weekend when you have to take children to games and practices, that work night where you need to be your son or daughter's #1 fan and have little time to cook, or that day when you need to use leftovers so they do not spoil. We all strive for a meal where we can take some time to decompress after a busy day but do not always have that luxury. A sandwich can be made in relatively no time and can be accompanied by a salad, cooked vegetables, vegetables or gluten free chips and hummus, or some fruit. A sandwich can be taken on the go to be consumed at a game or other event. Take the time to plan your meal so that you do not have to go through a drive through line and order into a "box".

Today's sandwich is CHICKEN BREAST WITH OLIVE TAPENADE

Base Ingredients:
Gluten Free Bread of choice (in this photo I used Udi's Millet Chia)
Chicken breast (cooked)
Olive tapenade (you can make your own or buy the spread - when I make my own I OMIT the anchovies)
OPTION: Swap out the sauce...use PESTO or BBQ sauce instead of the olive tapenade
Lettuce (other green of your choice) or sprouts to add to the sandwich for texture

Instructions:

1. I bake an organic chicken breast  in non-stick aluminum foil in the oven to be used for a sandwich later in the week (planning ahead saves time when you know in advance you will be facing a time crunch)
2. When you are ready to make your sandwich, toast the bread you wish to use and get out all the ingredients
3. OPTIONAL: You can warm your chicken while the bread is toasting if you like
4. When the bread is done, spread the tapenade on each slice and add the chicken and/or greens/sprouts.
5. Serve or put in a container to take with you and enjoy later

Pancake a la Amsterdam

A MEMORABLE meal in Amsterdam was a gluten free pancake...yes a SAVORY PANCAKE. My husband and I were told to have pancakes by our friends when we told them we were traveling to Amsterdam. Once we got there we researched gluten free pancake options and saw that the options were greater than we anticipated. Not only were there a few places from which to choose, but there were options for breakfast and lunch pancakes. Most restaurants serving pancakes were open until mid to late afternoon. We decided to go for a savory lunch pancake as that was something new for us!

Once we got to the restaurant we were amazed! The place was packed with people and the wait was 30-45 minutes. It was worth the wait!

The pancake texture was between an American version of a crepe and a pancake. I ordered a pancake with vegetables and pesto sauce and decided I needed to find a way to recreate at home so we could enjoy savory "Amsterdam Style" Pancakes.

I took a crepe recipe from Pamela's Products (Baking and Pancake Mix) and modified it until I achieved the desired texture.

Base Recipe I Devised:
1 1/3 cup Pamela's Baking and Pancake Mix
1 egg at room temperature (I use free range eggs when possible)
1 cup Almond Milk

Additional Ingredients:
Oil (I used walnut oil)
Pesto Sauce
Basil
Shrimp
Vegetables - onion and zucchini (colored bell peppers work well also)

Preparation and Cooking Instructions:

• I used a mandolin to cut thin slices of onion and zucchini (fresh from the garden)
• I mixed the pancake, heated and oiled the pan, then added the pancake. Similar to cooking a crepe, I added the mix to the center of the pan and rotated the pan until and batter went almost to the edges. THEN I added the thin sliced vegetables to the pancake in a decorative pattern.
• I flipped the pancake when bubbled formed in the middle...about 3-5 minutes into the cooking process
• In a separate pan I sauteed shrimp and served the shrimp as a garnish (as a vegetarian was eating the meal with us). The shrimp could be precooked, diced, and added to the pancake if you wish. 
• Serve warm...the pesto sauce can be drizzled on the pancake or in a ramekin and used as a dipping sauce
• I garnished with fresh basil BUT it could be diced and also added to the pancake while cooking to layer the flavor.

There are numerous possibilities for the Pancake a la Amsterdam...as I experiment I will share them with you!

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JR Date Bar

I have been searching for the formula to create my own date snack bars and finally hit the jackpot. The recipe allows you to customize the bars to create the flavor profile you desire. You can wrap them in Saran Wrap or Aluminum Foil (I prefer non-stick), carry them in a Ziplock baggie, or carry with you in a small plastic "tupperware" type of container.

The bars have two simple ingredients and the third or fourth is the flavor profile you create. The recipe is so simple you will be making these quite often! The most challenging part of this recipe is that the bars need to be refrigerated for at least 30 minutes to "set". Patience is required prior to "digging in".

Enjoy these energy bars before, during, or after a workout or as a simple mid-day snack.

Base Ingredients:
1 Cup of Dates (I get mine from Futterman Farms) - pitted and diced
2 Cups of Nuts - your choice to use one nut or a mix to create the flavor profile of your choice
1/3 Cup Flavor Ad-Ins

Step 1:

• Place nuts in a VitaMix or a food processor and pulse until they break up and BEGIN to form a paste. You want to keep some chunks and stop processing PRIOR to creating Nut Butter.
• Add dates and continue to pulse to combine.

Step 2:
Add 1/3 Cup of Flavor Add-Ins and pulse to combine.
Add-Ins can include:
Dried Cranberries (pictured)
Dried Cherries and Coconut
Dark Chocolate Pieces + 2 TBSP Nutella
Dried Diced Apple + 2 TBSP Cinnamon
Dried Diced Apricot + 1 TBSP Almond Flavoring

Step 3:

• Transfer JR Date Bar Mixture from VitaMix or food processor and place in an 8x8 glass pan. I suggest using spray olive oil or parchment paper or Saran Wrap to coat the pan so the date bars do not stick. 
• Cover the pan and place it in the refrigerator to cool for at least 30 minutes. 
• Cut the bars to the size you desire and enjoy!

Apple Cinnamon Walnut Gluten Free Whole Note Muffins

I love Whole Note products as they are healthy and satisfying gluten free baking mixes. As a baked that likes to modify recipes to create fascinating mixes, Whole Note products provide a perfect base to create HEALTHY RECIPE VARIATIONS.

I used the Create-A-Muffin Mix to make Apple Cinnamon Walnut muffins. They turned out fluffy, moist, chewy, and flavorful. (I do love the muffin mix made without adding anything!) The muffins can be served either warm or cool. You can enjoy them with butter, Chia jam, or even a nut or seed butter.

Ingredients:
Whole Note Gluten Free Create-A-Muffin Mix
2 large eggs (I use free range)
3/4 cup of milk (I use almond milk)
1/3 cup of oil (I used walnut oil in this recipe)

Substitutions I made:
Added: 4 TBSP ground cinnamon
Added: 1 large apple - sliced thin and then diced into small pieces
1/2 cup homemade applesauce for the milk
Added: 1 cup of walnuts (diced so some are ground into a walnut flour)

Instructions:
Combine wet ingredients in a stand up mixer
Add dry and mix until combined - do not over mix
Line a muffin tin with "skirts" and fill "skirts" 3/4 full for small muffins or full for large muffins with significant "muffin tops"

Bake: 350 for 20 minutes (depending on size of muffins) then check by inserting a toothpick in center or largest muffin. If toothpick does not come out clean, continue cooking and checking every 5 minutes.

Date Smoothie

Date shakes are a MUST when one is visiting Palm Springs, California. The combination of yogurt and dates is a delightful treat in the desert heat.

A DATE SMOOTHIE is another way to enjoy dates. I get my dates from Futterman Farms in Indio, California. I was introduced to the owner of the farm at my local farmer's market. Anyone can get the incredible dates from Futterman Farms as they do ship them to you!

Date Smoothie Ingredients (for 1 large glass or 2 small)

• 8 ounces of Almond Milk (you can use the milk of your choice)
• 1 ripe banana
• 1 TBSP sunflower butter (I use SunButter)
• 1 cup of dates (pitted and chopped)
• Date to garnish glass

Recipe:

• Add banana, 1/2 or the dates, and 1/2 of the milk to your food processor or VitaMix. Pulse to pulverize dates. 
• Add remaining dates and milk to combine 
• Add SunButter
• After everything is combined, pulse at HIGH SPEED for about 1 minute to add volume

Pour into a glass or two and garnish with a date.