Lemon Chicken with Penne Pasta

For quite sometime, I have been adhering to mostly an AIP (Auto Immune Protocol) diet in an attempt to calm my Rheumatoid Arthritis, which is an Auto Immune Disease.  It has been beneficial
when I am strict and disciplined.  However, those of you who have followed my blog know what a difficult task this is for my foodie self who loves dinner parties.  So, I am rounding a corner now, and attempting to add in a few things to my diet and check for reactions.  I feel strongly that rice, especially brown rice,  has beneficial nutrients that our bodies need, so I am adding that in first.

I LOVE pasta! I MISS pasta! I am happy to report ....... I found a wonderful substitute to use in this recipe that I created!!  Brown Rice Penne Pasta by Delallo is by far my favorite gluten free pasta.

Delallo is a family company that began in Pennsylvania in 1950. They source over 200 products from Italy and The Mediterranean.  They have a wonderful website that I encurage you to check out if you love Italian food as much as I do.  (By the way, I purchase my Delallo pasta locally at Yokes).

Give this recipe a try! I think you will LOVE it.  Let me know what you think. Enjoy🙂

Lemon Chicken and Penne Pasta

Ingredients 

2 chicken breasts

1 medium onion

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

10 ounces Delallo Penne Brown Rice Pasta, cooked according to package directions
1 cup white wine

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 tablespoons capers

1 tablespoon dried parsley

Olive oil

Parmesan Cheese

Method

• Drizzle oil over the raw chicken breasts and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder. Rub the mixture into both sides and cover. Allow to marinate for 1 hour.
• While waiting for chicken to marinate, saute diced onion in olive oil until tender. 
• Remove from pan. This is a great time to cook the pasta as well.
• When chicken is done marinating, cut into bite size pieces and saute in olive oil until done. 
• Add the onions and sauté until caramelized (lightly browned) 
• Then add in the white wine and let simmer so that the mixture reduces by half. 
• Add in the remaining salt, garlic powder, lemon juice, parsley and capers. 
• Allow to simmer for 10 minutes. 
• Add in the cooked penne pasta, stir well. 
• Serve with Parmesan cheese sprinkled lightly over the top.

Sunshine Granola: Welcome Back to my life granola!

My mornings are sweet and precious.  They are quiet and filled with coffee and devotions.  This is a special time of heartfelt prayer and conversation with my Heavenly Father. It is my time to focus before the world wakes up and fills my day with busy, but, sweet chaos.  

When I transition from my devotion time to breakfast, I struggle with my food options. When I started the AIP diet, I was disappointed by the breakfast choices.  They included the weirdest combinations of meat and vegetables.  None of the options went well with my sweet coffee morning bliss. So, I started researching ingredients that were AIP compliant and came up with a granola that is grain free and fits my life perfectly.  This scrumptious granola is great over fruit in the morning, as cereal with coconut milk,  or as a snack while hiking, kayaking, traveling, or even binge watching a Netflix show. 

The ingredients are simple.  Coconut is the main ingredient.  You can use any size of flakes you want.  Our local Walmart carries this organic brand for a super great price.  

Our local Natural Grocers stores sells these larger flakes in their bulk department for a super great price. 

So...... start with the coconut and mix it with maple syrup and your favorite dried fruit.  I use tart cherries because they help calm inflammation. 

Mix the ingredients well and place in a 9 X 13 pan lined with parchment paper.  

Place in the oven on 350 degrees and stir every 5 minutes until crisp and golden.

I have found that I can store this granola in a Rubbermaid container for a couple of weeks. Enjoy :) 

Sunshine Granola (AIP friendly)

2 cups of shredded coconut

1/4 cup of maple syrup

1/2 cup of tart cherries or your favorite dried fruit

• Mix all ingredients together 
• Place in a 9 X 13 pan that is lined with parchment paper
• Bake at 350 degrees
• Stir every 5 minutes until golden brown and crisp
• Store in airtight container for 2 weeks

AIP Meatballs on the Traeger

It is much easier to eat AIP (Autoimmune Protocol) in the summer.  The weather is hot, the appetite is less and fresh fruits and veggies abound.  Now that fall is here my appetite is increasing.

One thing that I really miss in fall is a big juicy burger, fresh off the grill, slathered with barbecue sauce.  Since barbecue sauce is made with tomatoes, which are not on the AIP plan, I was desperate to find a replacement.

My rhubarb plant was still producing beautiful stalks of fruit until a couple of weeks ago, so I did a quick search online and found this recipe for AIP Paleo Rhubarb BBQ Sauce .  All I can say is thank you to Gabriella.  This sauce is amazing and I don't feel like I'm missing out anymore!  The sauce is really awesome over my AIP Meatballs that I make on my Traeger and totally delicious slathered over big juicy hamburgers. I'm a happy girl!

To make my meatballs I begin by chopping vegetables.  Carrots add moisture and pack a nutritional punch, so I dice them fine.  

No meatloaf is complete without diced onions. Mmmmmmm

Add the diced carrots, onions, smoked sea salt, onion powder and garlic powder to the hamburger. Mix well!  It is easiest to mix if you wash your hands and dive right in. 

I got this old ice cream scoop years ago and it is a perfect 2 tablespoon scoop. I use it to scoop my meatballs. 

Clean up is a whole lot easier if I line my 9X13 pan with foil. Place the meatballs in the pan. 

Put the pan of meatballs in the traeger or oven.  

After 25 minutes, slather your sauce over them all and bake another 10 minutes. 

I like to place the cooked meatballs over lettuce and slice red onion and green onion over the top. Seriously so delicious!  

AIP Traeger Meatballs

2 pounds of good quality grass-fed ground beef
1 large onion
1 cup of diced carrots
1 teaspoon smoked sea salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder

• Preheat oven or Traeger to 375 degrees.
• Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
• Form meatballs with 2 tablespoons of mixture for each.
• Place meatballs in a 9X13 inch pan.
• Place on a preheated Traeger or oven and close door.
• Bake for 25 minutes.
• Spoon AIP Paleo Rhubarb BBQ Sauce over each meatball.
• Close door and bake an additional 10 minutes.