Torchy's Tacos

  So, this will be short and sweet... if you have not been to Torchy's Tacos then you must go this week!  haha...
  Layton and I journeyed there on a close friends suggestion.  We went with some friends of ours and everyone loved it.  It can be a little pricey for tacos, but for a fun date it is great.  :)

   Layton being silly.  :)  He was serious about his tacos.  I can't remember all the tacos we all tried, but our friend Andy tried a fried avocado taco and said it was great.

  These are my tacos... I had a sausage taco and a pulled brisket taco.  They were both amazing and the sauces they give you are out of this world.  :)
  Also, before you get out of your chair and run over to Torchy's... Remember to order their wonderful queso.  They make it with guacamole in the middle and a little of Torcy's special sauce over the top.  A most if you are to go!
  Please comment any fun restaurants you enjoy in the fort worth, arlington area.  We are always up for trying something new!

Chipotle Chicken Sweet Potato Skins

  So, I just HAD to share this recipe. It was so very yummy and I felt like it was different than anything else I make (which is important these days because I feel like I am making the same things over and over again).
  I got the recipe off of pinterest... Layton lived it. Though weird to the wise: it was really spicy, so if you want it calmed down a bit add less chilies. :)

Doesn't it look so amazing?!  I was so happy to find the recipe because it fits our food restrictions. :)
  So, for the recipe...

Chipotle Chicken Sweet Potato Skins

3 medium sweet potatoes
3/4 lb. chicken
1/4 c. olive oil
2T. lime juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 whole chipotle peppers
1t. oregano
1t. cumin
2t. Chili powder
Salt & Pepper
2 c. Spinach
5 oz. Monterey cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash potatoes, prick all over and place in oven for approximately 1 hour, our until cooked through.
Place chicken on baking dish and rub with oil, salt and pepper. Bake 25 minutes in oven. Allow to choo and then shred.
Cut sweet potatoes in half and cool 5-10 minutes.
Combine olive oil, lime, garlic, peppers and spices together in medium bowl. Set aside.
Wilt Spinach in small sauce pan and combine with chicken.
Turn oven to 400 degrees. Scrap some flesh out of potatoes. Brush with a little chipotle sauce and bake 10 minutes, until slightly crisp.
Mix Sauce with chicken and spinach. Fill skins with mixture and then top with shredded cheese. Put bake in oven until cheese melts.

And there you have it! They were wonderful. Layton really enjoyed. :) Definitely a good fall dish.

Smoked Brisket and Flowers

  So, ever since Layton and I got married he has been anxious to start becoming a whiz at the grill.  He comes from a family of grillers and was ready to know if he had the touch.

  Well, at our apartment we only had a little tiny charcoal grill, definitely not smoking material.  =P  Then when we knew we would be moving he told me that he really wanted to look into getting a charcoal grill/smoker.  Well, as it turns out, the guy that lived there before us left his old grill and it had a smoker box underneath.  We were super blessed and excited.  :)  It isn't the best grill out there, but you can't beat free.

  So, after taking a few weeks to get settled in I bought a brisket and we started planning.  ;)  Last Saturday he started the grill up early and prepped the meat.  It smelled SO good!  It smoked for 5 hours and then cooked in the oven for 2.  Believe me when I say that those last two hours were not easy to sit through.

  We decided to go pretty traditional and had garlic mashed potatoes and roasted brussell sprouts.

  It was some seriously good food.  :)  Layton says the meat was a tad dry, but I think it was good and not at all bad for his first try.

  Soon he wants to try smoking some stuffed jalapenos.  I cannot wait for that experiment!  ;)

 On a slightly deferent note, Layton brought home flowers the other day.  :)  It always makes my day when he does so.  Those "Just Because" flowers will get you every time. <3

~God bless and a wonderful week to you all!

Grilled Burritos and Cookie Cups!!!

  I just found this recently...  It is a post I did quite a while back before Christmas.  We had not yet discovered food allergies or our new diet, but never-the-less I thought I would share this.  They were extremely yummy and totally worth trying!  I'll have to try making some cookie bowls with some gluten-free/sugar-free cookie dough... if it works, I will let you know.  ;)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

   So, a while back I posted about these grilled enchiladas I had made for dinner one night... this is that concept taken a little farther.
   We made grilled burritos smothered in the easiest homemade queso with guacamole and chips on the side.  It was so good!  Then for dessert I made cookie bowls with salted caramel and cappuccino gelato... a-mazing!  I have to tweek the cookie bowls, but they were still really good.

Layton did the grilling once again and they turned out wonderful!

The guacamole and the queso...

My plate... I really can't even begin to tell you how good it was. :)

Our cookie dough waiting to be molded and formed...

but being snacked on in the mean time.  ;)

So easy!

You just take a handful of dough and put them on the bottom of sprayed muffin tins, though I would suggest not going all the way to the bottom like we did because they will grow.

And the finished product...

They were very yummy indeed!

I had cappuccino gelato and Layton had salted caramel.

  ~LOVE~HOPE~BELIEVE~SING~JOYOUS~CELEBRATE~FELLOWSHIP~

The Best Homemade Granola

  So granola has been a soft spot in Layton and My's house since day one.  We both absolutely love it!  So, when I found out that I couldn't have refined sugars anymore I started a major hunt for some good homemade recipes I could try.

  I found a few that were pretty good, but nothing that tasted like it had come from a box.  ;)  It was always missing those clumps of sugary, gooey-ness.  I kept a few, because some granola is better than none.  Granola and protein shakes are our quick fix breakfasts around here these days.

  So, my search continued... I had almost given up when a friend of mine, who has a blog that is really up and hopping, posted her granola recipe that she always makes.  I changed it up a little so that I could eat it, put it in the oven and our came gooey goodness.  It was perfect!

  The next morning Layton called me from work and asked if the granola was store bought.  I told him no and that I had made it the day before... he could not stop going on about how good it was.  So, I had to figure out what all the fuss was about.  I went and had some and it really is amazing.  So, I wanted to share THE BEST granola recipe out there!

  This past time I made Banana-Nut Granola, which is Layton's favorite.

These are my banana chips that is crushed up.  Mmmmmm....

I used unsweetened banana chips, but you could used sweetened if you preferred.

I buy mine in the bulk section at CM or Sprouts.

This is my bowl of oats and mix-ins.

For the banana nut granola I did 1/3 banana chips and 2/3 almonds.

Finished product!

I did a double batch since we go through it so fast.  :)

Totally yummy, you would never know that it didn't have sugar in it.

The Best Homemade Granola

• 4 1/2 c. oats
• 1/3 c. coconut oil
• 1/3 c. agave
• 1/3 c. maple syrup
• 1 1/2 t. vanilla extract
• 1/2 t. cinnamon (I usually do 1 t.)
• 3/4 t. salt
• 3 c. add-ins (almonds, walnuts, pecans, craisins, apricots, banana chips, etc.)

-Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

-Melt coconut oil in medium sauce pan.  Whisk in agave, maple syrup, vanilla, salt and cinnamon.

-Pour over oats and mix-ins.  Spread evenly over baking sheet.

-Bake 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.

Here is where I got the original recipe:

http://www.packofwolfes.blogspot.com/2013/04/homemade-granola.html

~Happy cooking!

Gluten-Free/Grain-Free Eating {Chicken Potpie}

  I cannot even begin to tell you how in love I was with Pioneer Woman's Chicken Potpie.  I would continually crave it... the crust, the sauce, the veggies... all of it coming together to make one delicious mouth full of wonderfulness.

  Then we came to find out that I was allergic to wheat and hypoglycemic.  I was in quite a lot of despair when I came to realize that not being able to have wheat or sugar meant that I would have to alter every recipe in my box.

  Then I found this wonderful blog http://urbanposer.blogspot.com/2011/12/delicious-urban-parents-nye-menu.html.  She has a lot of recipes and every single one I have tried has ended up in my recipe box.  All of her recipes are grain-free and processed sugar-free so we can eat them without having to alter anything.  I was very anxious to try her Chicken Potpie because the last one I had tried ended up being a major flop.

  I thought she had a lot of the same techniques as Pioneer Woman did with her Chicken Potpie.  These veggies are cooked and waiting for the gravy.

 The crust was super easy to make and was really good!  I have also recently tried her quiche crust which was amazing as well.

  Layton loved them too, which is always encouraging when you are trying to cook happy and healthy.  They are dairy-free as well, if you are trying to stay away from dairy as much as possible.

  Really good and definitely worth trying, even if you don't have to eat grain-free.

~Happy cooking and God bless!

Gluten-Free/Grain-Free Eating {Kabobs}

  Hello once again!  Tonight I would like to introduce you to my latest friend, who makes last minute meals and "I don't know what to make tonight!" nights much better.
  This friend is the kabob.  I've always been a fan, but never so much as I am now.  They do take a little prep work, but not many dirty dishes are made (which is always a plus with me!).  Layton and I always tend to have the ingredients on hand as well and then I usually just roast a side to go with them.
  So, the other night we made just your basic chicken kabob.  I always make mine with bell pepper and onion, but the wonderful thing about them is you can just use whatever you have on hand.  We have done steak with pineapple before too, and it was probably my favorite.  :)

  Don't they look beautiful?!?!  My husband is getting to be quite a whiz at the grill.  :)

  This is our dinner completed.  Quick and fairly easy, considering it is a gluten-free and grain-free meal.  We had roasted asparagus and roasted/mashed cauliflower (also a favorite!) this time.  I've also done green beans or broccoli, sweet potatoes if you want a little starch.

  All-in-all a fairly easy meal with on hand ingredients.  We are starting to get the hang of this gluten-free stuff around here, by God's grace.  But on those nights when I really don't have it all together (because we all know that all of us have those nights) Chipotle is my NEW best friend!!!  ;)

  Have a blessed weekend, people!  And good cooking!

Grilled Enchiladas

So, Layton and I experimented again!  I know, dangerous.  :)  I was going to make chicken enchiladas for dinner the other night, but since I have been running a fever off and on I did not want to start the oven.  So, Layton was going to grill the chicken and since the grill was already going I decide we would grill the enchiladas.  It was so very good.  I will share this recipe below, but I warn you... it is very spicy.  You could change things up a bit though if you wanted to make it less spicy or just take the concept and use your own enchilada recipe.

This is the sauce.  I warmed it on the stove.  The easiest sauce ever...!

I love simple recipes.  :)

There you go.  Our wonderful dinner.

I also love it when experiments turn out like you hope they will.

I hope y'all try and enjoy!

-Grilled Chicken Enchiladas-

8 flour tortillas

3 cups chopped cooked chicken

2 cups monterey cheese

1 cup green chilies

1/2 cup sour cream

8 oz. sour cream

8 oz. green taco sauce

Stir together chicken, cheese, green chilies, and 1/2 cup sour cream.  Roll into tortillas and then secure them with toothpicks.  Grill on both sides until browned, but try not to burn!  If not quite warm keep in top rack of grill for a few minutes to warm through.

Combine 8 oz. of sour cream and green taco sauce and warm in a small sauce pan.  Serve with sauce over grilled enchiladas and enjoy!

-Great with black beans, rice and sweet tea!

~Enjoy the food God has provided for you today!  :)

Strawberry Shortcakes

   Okay, so, I might be a little biased, but this might just be the best thing I have made with almond flour yet.  It is so good!  Even if you are not doing almond flour, you should really try this.  It is a good and healthy alternative to wheat and a great healthy dessert.  You won't feel guilty about this one! haha.

They were perfectly golden.  And so very light and fluffy!

I will put the recipe below.

We also made our own whipped cream. So there was no sugar and no wheat in this dessert!

Layton loved this dessert.  And I enjoyed the fact that it was very light.

Strawberry Shortbread

Cup Cakes:

  1/2 c. agave

  1/2 c. yogurt (I used greek)

  1 t. vanilla

  2 eggs

  pinch of salt

  1 t. baking soda

  3 T. butter, melted

  2 c. almond flour

Whipped Cream:

  2 T. agave

  1/4 t. vanilla

  1 c. whipping cream

• Preheat oven to 310.
• Ina bowl, blend yogurt, eggs, agave and vanilla together.  Then add melted butter after cooled to touch.  Blend well.
• Add dry ingredients and mix well.
• Grease a muffin tin and pour about 3/4 the way full with batter.  Makes a dozen muffins.
• Bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Will be slightly browned.  Don't worry if they have shrunk a little in the middle.
• Whip the cream, agave, and vanilla until creamy!
• Put on top of shortbread with strawberries...
• Enjoy!  It is amazing!  Probably a new favorite.

Doesn't it just look amazingly good!

~Enjoy your cooking!

Saturday Breakfasts

   So, here I go... blogging again, except this time it is about my simple life as a wife and all the fun that Layton and I have together.

   I have started experimenting with almond meal since Layton and I are not doing wheat anymore.  I have tried a few things so far... biscuits, chicken pot pie, cookies, and best of all pancakes.  Layton is absolutely in love with pancakes and when we had to go off wheat I felt terrible that he wouldn't get to have pancakes very often anymore.  So with the help of Google, I found a wonderful recipe, though it took a few times to find one worth keeping...  :)

   The finished product!  They were really good!  Layton loves them... they are very satisfying and very healthy.  I tease Layton that he is eating a thousand almonds for breakfast.  :)  

(I will post the recipe below for anyone who is interested.)

   Layton made homemade butter while I was working on pancakes.  It was really good!  I had tried before with raw milk and this time we made it out of heavy cream which, I think, worked a lot better.

   Our breakfast table!  :)  We also had almond butter and homemade whip cream to put on the pancakes and then agave instead of syrup... though I have recently bought 100% pure maple syrup that we will try next time we have pancakes.  :)

   Happy Cooking and Happy Living.  May you always keep your eyes fixed on Christ during the mundane things of life!

Almond Meal Buttermilk Pancakes

• 1 1/2 c. almond meal
• 1/2 t. baking soda
• 1/4 t. sea salt
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/4 c. buttermilk
• 1 T. butter, melted
• 1 T. maple syrup or agave
• 1 t. vanilla extract

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt.

Separate egg whites from yolks.  Set aside egg whites.

In bowl with egg yolks whisk in butter (make sure butter is cooled to touch).

Add buttermilk, maple syrup and vanilla. Then add dry ingredients, there should be no lumps.

With a clean whisk, whisk egg whites until very foamy (2 minutes).

Use whisk to fold in egg whites to batter.

Cook in a lightly greased pan, but keep heat low.  They will burn easily without cooking all the way through.  I usually turn the heat on medium and then once it is heated up, I turn it down to medium/low.

ENJOY!  :)