Slow Roasted Garlic Chicken and Potatoes

It was a sad day indeed when I found out from my Dr. that I could no longer eat garlic.

I mean I LOVE garlic. I would put garlic ON my garlic!!!

But apparently garlic stimulates the wrong side of my

immune system so no more savory garlic goodness for me......

UNTIL....

I realized that shallots have a mild garlic taste and are actually

from the onion family.

Oh happy days are here again!

I can substitute shallots where ever garlic is called for!

So here is one of my newest favorite recipes:

Slow Roasted Garlic (Shallot) Chicken and Potatoes

2 tblsp sea salt

1 (4 - 5 pound) whole chicken

4 heads of garlic or 2 large shallots - minced

2 tblsp olive oil

1 medium lemon

1 medium yellow onion - quartered

2 cups organic chicken broth

2 - 3 pounds russet potatoes

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Peel and cut potatoes and place in roasting pan. Add about 3/4 of the chopped garlic (shallots) and the quartered onion to the potatoes. Wash chicken and pat dry. Rub skin with olive oil and sea salt. Cut the lemon in half and place 1/2 of the lemon into the chicken cavity along with the remaining garlic (shallots). Take the remaining 1/2 of the lemon and cut it into 4 pieces. Place in pan with the potatoes. Pour chicken broth over the potatoes. Cover tightly with foil and roast for 1 hour. Remove foil, brush chicken with pan juices and increase oven temperature to 450 degrees. Roast, basting occasionally about 30 to 40 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before carving.

Cream of Pumpkin Soup.....yum :)

It's been a bit chilly here in Sunny Southern California

this past week.

Highs only in the 60's and overnight lows in the 40's.

This weather makes me want comfort food.

Something warm and creamy......

Cream of Pumpkin Soup

G/F D/F

3  tblsp olive oil

1  large onion, finely chopped

2  cloves garlic minced or 2 tblsp shallots minced

1/8 to 1/4  tsp cayenne pepper

1  quart free range chicken broth

1/2  cup uncooked wild rice

1  13.5 oz can coconut milk (it doesn't taste like coconut)

1  15 oz can pumpkin puree

2  tsp sea salt or to taste

freshly ground pepper to taste

In a large stock pot saute the onion and garlic in olive oil over medium high heat until soft, stirring occasionally. Stir in cayenne pepper and cook for 1 minute. Add broth; bring to boiling. Stir in uncooked rice. Reduce heat and simmer 40 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir coconut milk into rice mixture. Cook and stir until thick and bubbly. Stir in pumpkin and heat through. Salt and pepper to taste. It's super yummy and has just a bit of heat from the cayenne.



Mock Peanut Butter Cookies (aka Sunflower Butter Cookies)

If you know anything about me,

you know I love peanut butter cookies!

My mom would make them from time to time

and suprise me with my very own tin of cookies :)

Yes, I'm 50 years old and my mom still bakes me cookies....so what? :)

Since pretty much every ingredient in regular peanut butter cookies

is on my "poison" list these days,

I've been wanting to find a replacement.

So today, the Mock PB Cookie was born!

Mock Peanut Butter Cookies (Revised 3/2/12)

G/F, Casein Free, Corn Free, Sugar Free

1/2 cup homemade Sunflower Seed Butter (find recipe here)

1 cup Coconut Crystals (sugar alternative)

2 free range eggs

1/2 tsp g/f pure vanilla

1/4 cup Coconut flour (sifted)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix together sunflower seed butter, coconut crystals, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in sifted coconut flour.

I use the back of a spoon and sift it directly into the bowl.

The batter will be runny but it will thicken a bit after a few minutes.

I bought this "whoopie pie" pan at Michaels with my 50% off coupon.

It's made by Wilton and works great for lots of g/f cookies.

It gives them a nice uniform shape.

Use the backside of a slightly wet spoon to shape the cookies into nice flat rounds.

Bake for 15 minutes. Makes 1 dozen.

Cool on wire rack. 

Try not to eat them all in one sitting :)