Simple Chicken Two Ways with Golden Coconut Rice and Roasted Broccoli

This is a good example of how I accommodate different food needs/preferences, within the same meal. I love Paprika Chicken, but my husband does not. He can have garlic, but I can't. This is a very simple way to put something on the table that works for us both. I cooked egg noodles for my husband, as I didn't know whether he would like the rice. (He loved it!)

My dinner (Paprika Chicken):

His dinner (Lemon Pepper Chicken):

 This whole dinner was ready in about one hour. 
For those who can bake the chicken and broccoli together, it would be even faster.
Simple Chicken Two-Ways
2-6 servings, depending on appetite 
(We're both over 50 with low activity level. When feeding our four growing kids, I would have doubled this, at least.)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  
1 package (around one pound) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
       Check each piece carefully- I sometimes find small bone shards.
       Chicken breasts would also work well, but the cooking time might be shorter.

Line baking sheet or dish with foil or parchment. Pinch into a ridge down the middle, to keep flavors from mingling during baking. (This might not be strictly necessary, but for us- we can't have garlic or paprika wandering onto the other side.)

Add chicken pieces to prepared dish or pan. For us, I do Paprika Chicken seasoning on one half and Lemon Pepper Chicken seasoning on the other.

[Paprika Chicken]:
Olive oil- spread a bit of olive oil on the top of each chicken piece
Salt
Pepper
Paprika
Sprinkle each piece with salt, black pepper, and a bit of paprika
Lemon zest - sprinkle a bit of fresh lemon zest on top of each seasoned piece.
     (I was generous with mine- I love lemon)

[Lemon Pepper Chicken]:
Olive oil- spread a bit of olive oil on top of each chicken piece 
Garlic powder
Lemon Salt (we use Falk Salt citron salt, bought on Amazon) 
Black pepper
****A Lemon Pepper seasoning blend from the spice section would work just as well*** 

Sprinkle each piece with garlic powder, lemon salt and black pepper (or lemon-pepper blend). I break down the lemon salt flakes in a small mortar and pestle before adding to the chicken.

Bake at 375 for about 30 minutes, until chicken is cooked through (juices are clear and internal temperature has reached 165 degrees F.)

(Start heating water- if pasta or noodles are needed as a substitute for the rice)
(Start heating water and coconut milk for rice)


Roasted Broccoli
Fresh broccoli- about four good-sized crowns
Olive oil
Salt

Cut broccoli florets from stem and trim any bad bits. The baking time will depend entirely on the size of the pieces you cut. I do ours in chunks of one to two inches at the widest part with an inch or two of stem. Toss with olive oil and salt. Arrange on a shallow-rimmed baking sheet, leaving at least an inch between pieces. This is important, if you want roasted, rather than steamed, broccoli. You will get better results if you do two or three batches, rather than crowding it all on one pan.

Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes, until undersides are nicely browned.

We have a small RV oven, so I have to cook the chicken and broccoli separately. In a regular-sized oven, you should be able to bake them at the same time, on two racks. Make sure that the bottom rack is not too close to the element, and keep a close eye on what cooks on the lower rack, to prevent burning. With both in at the same time, and opening to door to put in broccoli and take it out, the chicken will take slightly longer to cook.


 Golden Coconut Rice
1 3/4 cups water
1 can (13.5 oz) thick coconut milk (I use Native Forest brand)
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
(1/8 teaspoon black pepper)***
2 cups Jasmine rice

In a medium saucepan that has a lid, bring the water and coconut milk to a boil. Add rice and seasonings and stir well. Cover. *Do not life the lid while cooking!* The rice needs to steam.
On our stove, I cook the rice, covered, on low for 10 minutes, then turn off the heat and leave the rice to sit, still covered, for 10 more minutes.

***The black pepper is optional. We liked it. I added it because I've heard that black pepper helps the body absorb or use turmeric to best effect. Coconut oil and turmeric are both said to have anti-inflammatory properties.

*Cooking order that worked for me:
-start oven heating
-prep chicken
(fill pot, start water heating for pasta)
(start prepping broccoli)
-chicken into oven when it's pre-heated
-start heating water and coconut milk for rice
-finish prepping broccoli
-broccoli in to cook
-rice and seasonings in
-next batch of broccoli in
-pasta in
*

So, there you have it- one simple, easily adjustable meal. I hope this helps ease some of your dinner-time frustration.

Thanks for stopping by. :)




     

How do I do it? Juggling food preferences and tolerances when making meals.

I have a whole laundry list of foods that my body does not handle well. My husband's list is dramatically shorter. People have asked me how I juggle this; whether I cook separate meals or expect everyone to only eat what I can eat. Now it's just the two of us, but some of our four kids were still at home when we started figuring out my food issues.

The answer to those questions is... yes.

To handle this complex issue, I've done a little of both (accommodation and it-has-to-be-what-I-can-eat) . For a while, to help me break out of the bread habit, I asked my family to not have wheat bread in the house. They were so kind to go along with that! Bread was one of the hardest things for me to let go of. It helped so much to have the support of my family in that. Only one of our kids needs to be gluten-free. The rest of them do not enjoy gluten-free bread. They were so gracious in this! We did shift to only gluten-free pasta and noodles, and they liked the alternatives well enough to be fine with that. Their cooperation was a tremendous help. I did shift all my baking/cooking to what I and our daughter can have. As my skills have improved, they've lived gladly with this change.

I would often cook the same basic meal, with a couple of alternatives. This goes along with my general approach to the kids' food preferences over the years. I've never been willing to cater whole separate meals. That just makes no sense to me. I would, within the family dinner, leave some flexibility. We had one child who could not stand creamy sauces on pasta. When I made that kind of meal, I would put some of the cooked pasta aside for him before adding the sauce. If I was making something that I knew one of the kids could not stand, I made sure to do it when there were leftovers or sandwich materials that they could have instead. I was not making them a separate meal, but letting them have something else that they prepared for themselves.

My one big hard line at the dinner table was: do not be rude to the cook! I have zero tolerance for rudeness to the person who just worked to put food in front of you. "Do I have to eat this?" with an expression of disgust...no deal. But I understand that people have different preferences and things they truly cannot stand. One of our kids can't stand tacos. One can't stand the texture of "boiled" meat (stew, corned beef, etc.) One is not a big fan of scones and biscuits. When those feelings were expressed in a courteous manner, I was absolutely willing to work with them. They did not have to eat things that made them gag, but they could not be rude at my table. I think that's an important life lesson for kids to learn. My mom gave that grace to me, with things I couldn't stand, and I gave it to our kids.

Now that it's just the two of us, and my food world has become increasingly limited, here's how I handle it: each week's meal plan includes things that work for both of us, things that are only for me, and things that are only for my husband. For example, one night I might make spaghetti for my husband while I eat leftovers. The next night, I'll make something that works for me but that he really doesn't like. He has his leftover spaghetti, so he's provided for. I balance this system with making things that work for both of us. Sometimes, I adapt within the same meal. With Shepherd's Pie, for example, I top half with mashed potatoes for my husband and the other half with mashed sweet potatoes for me. A couple of times a week, I'll make a pot of soup that only I will enjoy and that's what I eat for my lunches.

This works, because I don't have actual food allergies or Celiac disease. I have a long list of intolerances, diagnosed through blood tests and experience, but not actual allergies. Because of this, the possibility of cross-contamination is not a life-threatening issue for me.

"Everything-free" Honey Butter Biscuits...or Scones

I have been stuck in a debate over whether to call these biscuits or scones. The sweetness tips the scale toward scones, but I love the rhythm and alliteration of the name Honey Butter Biscuits. Can they be both?

See the rise on those? They turned out beautifully!

They are free of gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, almonds, sorghum, and nightshades. If you use a special baking powder (and a substitute for the xanthan gum, they can be corn-free too. (see note below)>>

This is a recipe that I just came up with a couple of days ago. I made them for the first time yesterday morning (my birthday) and they made a delicious part of my breakfast.

The idea was birthed from thinking about biscuits topped with butter and honey. I suddenly wondered how it would work to put the honey and butter into the biscuits themselves. I am loving the results! These are tender, with a nice crunch to the bottoms. They have a pleasant, light sweetness from the honey, and a buttery feel from the coconut oil. They paired beautifully with my mug of lemon balm tea cooled with coconut milk.

"Everything-free" Honey Butter Biscuits
free of gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, almonds, nightshades, rice (and corn)

makes about 12, using a 2" cutter
preheat oven to 375 or 400 Fahrenheit ****
Line your baking sheet or pan with parchment paper (or lightly oil)

"Buttermilk"
1/2 cup non-dairy milk  
      (I use Silk or SoDelicious unsweetened original coconut milk beverage)
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
Set aside until needed.

Dry ingredients
2 cups gluten-free flour (I use 1 cup each of millet flour and arrowroot starch)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum*
1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl and whisk together thoroughly.
Cut in:
1/2 cup Spectrum palm-kernel oil shortening/all-vegetable shortening
   (Other butter alternatives, such as Earth Balance buttery sticks, should work well) 

Wet ingredients
1/4 cup liquid honey***
2 teaspoons melted buttery-flavored coconut oil
Stir together, then add, along with the soured milk.**
Make a "well," or small hollow, in the middle of the dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the well, then mix together, using a fork.

 Isn't that a beautiful dough?

Scoop dough onto a surface dusted with more gluten free flour (a tablespoon or two each of millet flour and arrowroot starch, mixed together). Gently fold dough over onto itself several times, then pat out or roll to about 1 1/4" thick. Use a sharp cutter, dipping in flour between cuts.

Place rounds on prepared sheet, leaving  an inch or two between them.
Bake for around 18 minutes, until they're cooked in the middle and the bottoms are lightly golden brown.
Transfer to cooling rack so bottoms don't continue to cook on the hot pan.

>>Leftover gluten-free baked goods are better when warmed. I've found that 9 or 10 seconds in the microwave works well for a single item (biscuit, scone, muffin). This restores its soft, light texture. 

****Biscuits and scones usually cook at 400 or higher. Because our oven is quirky (a very small, gas-powered RV oven) I've had to lower the baking temperature. If you're using a normal oven, and it doesn't run hot, you could safely bake at 400. An inexpensive oven thermometer is a good way to find out how accurate the settings are on your oven. If things always seem to over-brown before they're cooked through, then you probably need to reduce your cooking temperature by 25-50 degrees for most recipes.

***Liquid honey- as in a normally runny consistency. If your honey has crystalized and turned solid, you can warm it to make it flow again. A common method is to set the closed container of honey in a larger container and add hot water. Just be sure that the water level stays below the edge of the honey container. Runny honey is good. Watery honey would be sad.

**If the milk is still cool from being refrigerated, it will instantly turn the melted coconut oil to hard little clumps. Mixing the coconut oil with the honey first helps to prevent this.

*Xanthan gum serves a very important function in gluten-free baking. It sort of acts like gluten, thickening the dough and giving it structure. >>>Xanthan gum can be derived from corn. People often substitute guar gum for the xanthan gum if this is a concern.<<<
   

   

"Everything-free" Apricot, Honey & Almond Scones

The process of developing this recipe has made me very happy. They are just so good!

They've quickly become one of my new favorites- tender and lightly sweet, buttery and flavorful, and also free of gluten, dairy and eggs. 

I've made them both as drop scones and cut. I've made them with chopped, dried apricots and with Apricot Jammy Bits from King Arthur Flour. Every way seemed just right to me, so I've included directions for all those variations.

"Everything-free" Apricot, Honey and Almond Scones
Makes 8-12
total time- about one hour (Bake 15-20 minutes)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit
Line baking sheet with parchment paper, or oil it lightly

"Buttermilk"
1/2 cup alternative milk (2/3 cup for drop scones)
I use SoDelicious or Silk brand coconut milk beverage.
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
Combine and let sit to curdle until needed.

Dry ingredients:
2 cups gluten-free flour
      (I use 1 cup millet flour + 1 cup arrowroot or tapioca starch)
2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon salt
Combine in a large mixing bowl and whisk together thoroughly.

Fat:
1/2 cup butter-alternative
(I use Spectrum palm kernel oil shortening. Most butter alternatives should work.)
Using a pastry blender, cut fat into dry ingredients .

 Wet ingredients:
Combine in a smaller bowl~
3 Tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons melted coconut oil (I use "buttery flavored" coconut oil)
1 teaspoon almond extract (If you can't tolerate almond, use vanilla.)


Whisk together well, then add soured milk. If the cold milk touches the melted coconut oil before it's mixed with other things, the coconut oil will turn to hard little chunks.
Add wet ingredients to dry and stir with a fork. When about halfway combined, add apricots.

Additions:
1/4 cup dried apricots, chopped small
*toss chopped apricots with a teaspoon or two of flour or starch, to keep from clumping together*
-OR-
2 Tablespoons King Arthur Flour brand Apricot Jammy Bits

Stir until thoroughly combined. 
(Xanthan gum needs vigorous stirring, in order to activate properly.)

Shaping:
-Drop Scones- (Makes about 12 drop scones)
Scoop dough onto prepared baking sheet, in blobs of about three tablespoons. I use a dough scoop for this. They don't need to be nicely shaped. Drop scones are meant to be rough and irregular. Space them an inch or two apart, to allow for spreading as they bake.

-Cut Scones-(Using a 1 1/2" cutter, I get around 8 or 9 scones)
Lightly flour a clean board or surface. Turn dough out onto prepared surface. Gather into a ball, then gently fold dough in half. Flatten it slightly, then fold again. Repeate several times. Gently roll or pat dough to about one-inch thickness. Use a sharp cutter, dipped in flour to help prevent sticking.

You can also shape dough into a rectangle and cut into squares with a sharp knife, into a circle and cut into triangles, or into a rectangle and then into small triangles. The baking time will be longer for larger scones, less for smaller.

Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes. Mine usually take 18 minutes.

Drop scones ready to bake ~

Cut scones in the making~ and finished, jeweled with apricot goodness.

Here's a link for the King Arthur apricot jammy bits. They also come in raspberry, strawberry, peach, cherry, apple cinnamon, orange and blueberry.
 https://shop.kingarthurflour.com/items/apricot-jammy-bits-8-oz