Moroccan Chicken (crockpot)

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 pounds skinless chicken thighs (bone in or out, I like both.  If bone in, add more chicken)
• Salt and pepper the chicken
• 2 sweet Vidalia onion diced (the flatter the onion, the sweeter I find it to be)
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked pepper
• 1 ½ cup unsalted chicken stock
• 3/4 cup natural almond butter (unsweetened – I like freshly ground)
• 12 ounces dried apricots (cut in half)
• 1 pound baby carrots

Directions

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper
2. Heat olive oil in large pan to medium high (I like to cook in my le creuset)
3. Brown the chicken in the oil (about 5 minutes)
4. Place into the crockpot
5. Heat a little more oil in the pot on medium.  Add onion and garlic and cook until tender.
6. Add the ginger, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cayenne, salt and pepper.
7. Add chicken stock and almond butter. Stir until you have a thick sauce.
8. Pour ½ the sauce into crock pot over chicken in the slow cooker.
9. Add the apricots and baby carrots to the slow cooker.
10. Cover with the remaining sauce
11. Refrigerate overnight.
12. In the morning, pop the crock pot insert into the crockpot.  Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
13. Serve over rice
14. This is even better the second and third day as left overs!

Adapted from Against All Grain Slow Cooker Moroccan Chicken

Chocolate Chia Pudding

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp white chia seeds
• 1 tbsp raw cocoa
• 1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 1/2 cups almond or cashew milk (unsweetened)

Directions

1. Add dry ingredients to mason jar, and shake or stir
2. Add wet ingredients to jar and shake or stir
3. Let sit in fridge at least 12 hours (ideally 24 or more) shaking periodically to mix the ingredients 
4. If not thick enough, add more chia

I usually find that this recipe is enough for two servings.

Chocolate Chip Cookies (Dairy Free/Vegan)

Ingredients

• 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (I like King Arthur)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 ½ tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 ½ cups chocolate chips (I like semisweet Ghirardelli or other dairy free chocolate bars broken into pieces)
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup plus 2 tbsp canola oil
• ½ cup plus 2 tbsp water
• Coarse sea salt 

Directions

1. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
2. Add chocolate chips.
3. In kitchen aid mixer, mix sugar and brown sugar with the oil and water until there are no sugar clumps.
4. Add the flour and chocolate mixture to the sugar mixture and mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
5. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours.
6. Preheat oven to 350F.
7. Scoop dough into balls and place into freezer for about 10 minutes while oven heats
8. Sprinkle the dough balls with coarse-grained sea salt and bake for 12 to 13 minutes, or until the edges are just golden.
9. Do not overbake.
10. Let cool completely before serving.

Adapted from Ovenly's Vegan Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies

chocolate chip cookies (Dairy Free, gluten free)

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup coconut oil
• ¼ cup coconut palm sugar
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 large egg 
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1½ cups almond flour
• 2 tbsp coconut flour
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp sea salt
• ½ cup chocolate chips (check for dairy or sugar content – I like Ghirardelli semi sweet)

Direction:

1. Heat oven to 350F.
2. Mix together coconut oil, coconut sugar, honey, egg and vanilla until smooth (I use my kitchen aid mixer)
3. Mix in almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda and salt
4. Mix in the chocolate chips  
5. Bake for 9-12 minutes, until edges are a light brown

Adapted from Against The Grain Real-Deal Chocolate Chip cookies

Korean Chicken

This is not authentic korean marinated chicken, however, I threw this together the other night and it was a hit with the adults at the table.  This will be a part of our regular rotation.  Maybe less ginger next time.  I've adjusted the recipe below to reflect that.

Ingredients

• Chicken thighs (boneless skinless)
• 3 tbsp Sesame oil
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tsp fresh Ginger (minced)
• 4 cloves fresh garlic (minced)
• 1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
• sesame seeds
• scallions

Directions

• Add soy sauce, sesame oil, minced ginger, minced garlic, brown sugar, sesame seeds and scallions to a plastic bag or other storage container.
• Add chicken and mix up
• Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably all day
• Grill until chicken is cooked through