Bean Salad

I made a big batch of this for a dinner with friends and plenty to last the rest of the week. I modified an online recipe to fit into the clean eating criteria. The original recipe calls for sugar. I simply omitted it and it is not missed at all. This version turns out more savory than sweet, and that’s OK by me and all who have tried it!

I raided the pantry and came up with a variety of beans. I also added ingredients to taste, so it probably turned out a little different from this recipe…lastly, I doubled this recipe for company and leftovers.

1 15-oz can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-oz can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-oz can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-0z can white beans, rinsed and drained
2 celery stalks, chopped fine
1/2 red onion, chopped fine
1 cup fresh, finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 Tbsp fresh finely chopped rosemary
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 In a large bowl, mix the beans, celery, onion, parsley and rosemary.

2 In a separate small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Add the dressing to the beans. Toss to coat.

3 Chill beans in the refrigerator for several hours, to allow the beans to soak up the flavor of the dressing.



The original recipe can be found at Simply Recipes

Southwest Salad Bar

This lovely ensemble fills up a shelf in the fridge! This, along with a bean salad make for a nice variety to make salads, wraps, etc. for the week.

The dark grain in the center of the photo is cooked quinoa. I have never seen quinoa this dark before and was excited to try it. It is just as yummy and makes an excellent base for grain salads.

After cooking the quinoa per direction on bag, drizzle with olive oil and lime juice.
Place in individual bowls:
*chopped cilantro
*chopped red onion
*chopped red and/or yellow pepper
* roasted corn kernels (Broil frozen corn until almost browned; watch and stir)
*canned black beans, drained and rinsed
*chopped romaine lettuce
*diced avocado (I cut what I need at the time of consumption)
Assemble the salad and use lime juice as the dressing to stay within the clean eating parameters.
This is also gluten free and you can track down some gluten free chips to add for crunch.
Other options (not necessarily “clean eating”):
For a dinner with friends, I offered the Brianna’s Chipotle Cheddar Dressing. They loved it.
You can also use this as a base for a taco salad if you want to add taco meat or chicken, and tortilla chips.
You can add queso fresco or shredded cheddar as well.

Gluten Free Cereal Treat

I made this for our small group potluck BBQ. Rice Krispy Treats sounded yummy to me, but I was surprised to learn that Rice Krispies contain gluten as a part of their manufacturing process. Since many of my friends in the small group don’t do gluten (and I am trying not to as well), I thought making a gluten free option might work. This is very sweet and a little goes a long way. We all liked them.

This recipe makes one pan. I doubled this to accomodate our group.

1/4c. butter
8c. Nature’s Path Maple Sunrise Gluten Free Cereal
1 10oz. bag marshmallows

In a large saucepan, melt butter. Add marshmallows and stir until melted. Remove from heat and add cereal. Mix until evenly coated.

Spread into a oil sprayed 13×9 pan. Cool and cut into squares.

Tomato Basil Bruschetta

A summer favorite of mine!

Tomato Basil Bruschetta

3 diced large tomatoes (I use Roma/Plum tomatoes since they're less seedy)
5-7 minced Garlic Cloves (if you use fresh garlic, the flavor is much stronger, so start with less)
3 Tbsp minced basil leaves
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and let sit for 2-4 hours before serving.

Slice a baguette to 1/4" slices and spread out on baking sheet. Brush slices with olive oil. Bake at 350F for 10-15 minutes or until lightly toasted.

My variations: sometimes I throw in some chunks of zucchini and/or a splash of balsamic vinegar. I also sprinkle mine with some parmesan just before eating.

Just after making...


After it has sat a couple hours, served with parmesan.

Crispy Honey Chicken

This recipe comes from How Sweet It Is, and it was a huge hit in our house!


1 pound thinly sliced, boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 egg whites
1/3 c. cornstarch (or flour) for dredging
1 c. broccoli florets
1/2 red pepper, thinly sliced
3/4 c. sugar snap peas
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 c. honey
salt and pepper to taste

Prepare and slice all veggies. In 2 separate bowls, add the egg white (lightly beaten) and the cornstarch or flour. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add veggies with a sprinkle of salt and pepper and saute for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add in soy sauce and garlic and stir so veggies are coated, about 60 seconds. Remove from skillet and set aside in a bowl.

Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces and season with salt and pepper. Heat the same skillet over medium-high heat and add remaining olive oil. Dip chicken pieces in egg whites and then lighty dredge in cornstarch. Add to the skillet and let brown for 2-3 minutes, then flip.

Once chicken is cooked, add veggies back in the skillet. Add honey and thoroughly mix to combine. Serve with rice.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Buffalo Chicken Dip

2 (10 ounce) cans chunk chicken, drained
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup Ranch dressing
3/4 cup pepper sauce (such as Frank's Red Hot®)
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Heat chicken and hot sauce in a skillet over medium heat, until heated through. Stir in cream cheese and ranch dressing. Cook, stirring until well blended and warm. Mix in half of the shredded cheese, and transfer the mixture to a slow cooker. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top, cover, and cook on Low setting until hot and bubbly.

I serve this with tortilla chips and celery. I've also seen it served with club crackers and chicken-flavored crackers.

Chicken Enchiladas

This is Ava's favorite meal. She can easily eat 2 of these, and often wants more! I make more of the cheese sauce because we all like to scoop up the extra cheese with tortilla chips.

Chicken Enchiladas

2 cups chopped cooked chicken (I usually boil 2 chicken breasts then shred it)
1 cup green bell pepper, chopped (I omit this)
8 oz cream cheese, cubed
1/2 cup salsa
8 6-in flour tortillas
12 oz Velveeta, cubed
1/4 cup milk

Stir chicken, bell pepper, cream cheese and salsa in saucepan on low heat until melted.

Stir Velveeta & milk in saucepan on low heat until smooth.

Spoon 1/3 cup chicken mixture down center of each tortilla, roll up. Place seam side down in greased 12x8 baking dish.

Pour melted cheese over tortillas, cover with foil. Bake at 350F for 20 minutes.

Top with another 1/2 cup salsa after baking. (I omit this too)

Serve with chips and salsa.