Gluten Free Schnitzel

For a delicious and healthy substitute, try replacing wheat flour with chestnut flour and bread crumbs with shredded coconut.


4 servings:

4 chops (either chicken thigh, chicken breast or pork chops)
1/4 cup gluten free flour (such as chestnut flour)
1 egg, beaten
1.5 cups shredded coconut
1T coconut oil


1. Preheat oven to 400 F

2. Dust schnitzel (I use chicken but traditional pork will work as well)in chestnut flour. It work very well as a substitute for regular wheat flour but sometimes it's little hard to find. If you can't get it in your local gluten free store, use any other gluten free flour.

3. After flour dusting, dip schnitzel in beaten egg.

4. Crust with shredded coconut - the finer shred, the better it will stick.

5. Sautee in coconut oil in oven proof skillet (cast iron works well) until coconut turn golden.

6. Place in the oven and bake until done, appr. 20 minutes.

Garlicky Kale

This recipe is great for all those who look for a nutritious side dish that is quick and easy to make.

I really like using wok for this recipe. It's higher walls can accommodate the volume of fresh kale better than regular pan but if you don't have one on hand, no worries.

1 bunch of kale greens
6 cloves of garlic (crushed)
3 medium size mushrooms (sliced, optional)
pinch of salt and pepper
1 TBS olive oil

1. Heat olive oil on non-stick pan or wok.
2. Sautee mushrooms for about 5 minutes.
3. Add garlic, sautee 1 more minute.
4. Chop the kale. The easiest way is to cut along the stem on both sides. Discard
the stem and cut the leaves to bite size pieces. Add chopped kale to the pan.
5. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. (Don't over do it. You can always add more later)
6. Cover and cook for 3-5 minutes until kale reaches desired firmness.

NOTE: If you are not a mushroom fan, skip them and start at step 3.

Serves: 2

Very Berry Crab Salad

6 oz crab meat(preferably fresh cooked, but can use canned if fresh if not available)
Handful of berries (mix of sliced strawberries, blueberries, raspberries)
1 head of green or red lettuce lettuce (leaves washed, cut into bite size pieces)
Parmesan Cheese (optional)
Olive Oil + Balsamic Vinegar for dressing

- Arrange crab meat in the middle of a plate.
- Place berries around the crab meat.
- Finish by spreading salad in a circle around the berries.
- Sprinkle with cheese if desired.
- Dress with Oil and vinegar (I really like using small sprayer bottle for this purpose as it provides even coverage and uses way less calories)

Enjoy!

Serves: 2


If berries are not in season, try different fruit such as pineapple, grapes or mandarin oranges.

Asparagus Salad

1 bunch Asparagus - trimmed, cut in 2-3 inch pieces
10-15 Cherry Tomatoes - halved
5-8 Mozzarella Balls - Pearl size - halved (optional)
6-8 basil leaves
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Salt + Pepper

1. Blanch asparagus in boiling water for about 45 seconds to 1 minute, depending on its thickness.

2. In a bowl, mix the asparagus with cherry tomatoes and basil leaves.

3. Sprinkle with a tiny bit of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Toss to coat.

4. Salt and pepper to taste.

5. Garnish with mozzarella cheese (if using)



Makes 4 side dish or 2 main course servings.

Baked Papaya with Lamb and Cheese

I have so many different recipes and meal ideas lined up that it is very seldom for me to make the same dish twice, unless it made it to the list of my absolute favorites. This one tops that list.

There is something absolutely magical about pairing the sweetness of the fruit with the distinct taste of the lamb, and even though some people find the combination little "unusual" at first, it really only takes that first bite to fully fall in love with the dish.


INGREDIENTS:

1 lb Ground Lamb
1 cup mushrooms - chopped into smaller pieces
1 onion - finely chopped
2 garlic cloves - minced
4 tbs fresh thyme


3 tbs tomato paste
1 16 oz can diced tomatoes

2 Mexican papayas (they are the ones that are about 12 + inches long)
1 cup shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese


PREPARATION:

1. In a saucepan, saute onions, mushrooms, garlic and thyme for about 3-4 minutes. Add the meat and cook until browned. Drain the juice.

2. Stir in tomato paste and diced tomatoes. Cook for additional 1 minute. Set aside.

3. Prepare papayas by cutting them lengthwise into 2 halves. Scoop the seeds out. You will need deeper hole in the middle to be filled with the meat mixture, so you might need to scoop some of the pulp out as well.

4. Fill papayas with meat mixture, place into a baking dish. Fill the dish with boiling water - you want the water level to reach at least 1.5 inches.

5. Bake covered for 25 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with cheese and put back to the oven until the cheese had melted.

Makes 4 servings.

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I really like the versatility of this dish. You can add, take away or adjust the ingredients to your liking. For example if you fancy spicier filling, dash of chili powder, cayenne pepper or 1 small jalapeno pepper will do the trick. If you're not a mushroom fan, simple leave them out. The dish goes the best with lamb but if lamb is not your favorite meat, use beef, veal, or even chicken instead.

Enjoy your meal!

or as we say back at my home country of Czech Republic

Dobrou Chut!

Godly Onions

This recipe is a must try for all onion lovers. The flavors of the onions delicately combined with the wine and capers will surely satisfy even the biggest gourmets. You can serve it as a classic with livers but they also can be deliciously paired with chicken or chickpeas as vegetarian alternative.

1 Tbs Olive Oil
1 large yellow onion, sliced
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
1 teaspoon coriander powder
4 Tbs of capers

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup white wine

Heat oil in a cast iron or any other heavy pan. Add the onions, garlic, lemon zest, coriander and olives. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the lemon juice and wine. Cook for another minute.

Millet with Mushrooms and Thyme

Millet is a gluten-free grain commonly used in the arid and semi-arid regions of the world. It is also popular through Western India, Russia and China where it's eaten either sweet with milk and sugar or savory accompanied with meat or vegetables.

Millet is rich in B vitamins, especially niacin, B6 and folic acid, calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, and zinc. It contains about 11% of protein by weight.


MILLET WITH MUSHROOMS AND THYME

1 cup millet
2.5 cups water or stock (any kind)

1 large onion - chopped
2 cups mushrooms - sliced (if you love them as much as I do, feel free to use more)
4-6 Tbs Fresh Thyme
2 Tbs Olive Oil
Tamari or Soy Sauce to taste

1. Place millet in water or stock. Bring to boil, lower the heat and simmer covered for 30-40 minutes, until tender. Add little bit extra water if needed.

2. Once the millet cooks for about 20 minutes, start preparing the veggies. Heat the oil in non-stick pan. Add onions, mushrooms, and thyme. Saute until the vegetables became tender and fragrant.

3. Stir the cooked millet in the vegetables. Add little bit of Tamari or Soy sauce to taste.

This dish beautifully combines the taste and aroma of mushrooms and thyme. It can be used as a main dish accompanied with greens or a side. Will make 4-6 servings.