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Hudson Valley, NY Lifestyle & Wellness

Restoring Balance with Food, Wellness, Sustainable Handmade Crafts and Business

December 4, 2020 by Aimee Hockett Leave a Comment

Split Chicken Breast with Fall Marsala Pasta

I am getting nostalgic over this Split Chicken Breast with Fall Marsala Pasta. Marsala mushroom pasta used to be a favorite of mine at restaurants as a kid. Going dairy free eventually meant that I wouldn’t have it again until I decided to recreate the food memory (dairy free) with one of my regular weeknight meals – roast split chicken breasts.

Roast Split Chicken Breast with Pumpkin Mushroom Marsala Pasta

The recipe starts by searing the chicken breasts skin side down in butter until crispy. While the chicken finishes cooking in the oven, I add minced shallots to the pan to cook down and caramelize. The combination of rich mushrooms, sweet marsala wine, creamy cashew milk with the delicious roast split chicken makes for a seriously comforting meal.

I kept this recipe dairy free and gluten free but you can easily make with other options. You have the choice of using regular butter, milk and parmesan or feta cheese in this recipe but I kept it creamy and rich in fall flavor without the dairy with a few flavor enhancers like white miso paste and pumpkin pureƩ. The dairy free options I did use in this recipe are unsweetened cashew milk, cultured cashew butter and I added the optional topping of treeline cashew cheese. It is delicious without the added cheese at the end but does kick up the comfort factor.

To balance out the sweetness of the marsala wine, I added a few splashes of red wine vinegar and a few pinches of dried oregano and basil. The roast chicken is a perfect savory addition to the sweet and tangy sauce.

Split Chicken Breast with Fall Marsala Pasta
Split Chicken Breast
Split Chicken Breast with Pasta

Crispy roast split chicken breast with sauce appears often in my meal rotation but sometimes the quick and easy pre made sauces get boring so I like to switch it up with something that reminds me of ordering from a restaurant. This Split Chicken Breast with Fall Marsala Pasta has a great balance of flavors and can easily be made gluten free and dairy free. Some of the noteworthy nutrients from this dish are: Vitamin B1, B3, B5, B6, Calcium, Selenium, Vitamin D, Zinc.

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Crispy Split Chicken Breast with Pumpkin Marsala Pasta
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Split Chicken Breast with Fall Marsala Pasta

Crispiest Roast Split Chicken Breast with Fall Marsala Pasta is a tangy, sweet and savory comfort dish easily prepared gluten and dairy free.
Course Dinner
Cuisine Italian
Keyword chicken marsala, dairy free recipe, gluten free pasta, marsala pasta, roast split chicken breast, split chicken breast
Cook Time 45 minutes
Author Aimee from A.K. Kitchen & Nutrition

Ingredients

  • 2 split chicken breasts
  • 3 Tbsp butter (I use a dairy free option- not margarine)
  • 2 shallots minced
  • 1 c shiitake mushrooms sliced
  • 1 c rehydrated dried mushrooms I used chanterelle and oyster (optional)
  • 1 1/4 c marsala wine
  • 2 c chicken broth
  • 1 c cashew milk
  • 1 c pumpkin purĆ©e
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp white miso paste
  • 2 tsp red wine vinegar
  • 2 pinches dried oregano and basil
  • salt and pepper
  • pasta of choice

Instructions

Chicken

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
  • In a large sauce pan, heat 1 tablespoon of butter on medium heat.
  • Thoroughly salt and pepper split chicken breasts.
  • Add chicken to pan skin side down. Cook until golden brown (about 3-6 minutes) and flip.
  • After searing all sides of the chicken, add to a baking sheet or pan and bake for an addiitonal 20-40 minutes, depending on how large the chicken cuts are.

Pasta sauce

  • Turn stove to low heat.
  • Add minced shallots with salt to the pan you seared the chicken in.
  • Stir occaisonally and cook for several minutes until they begin to caramelize.
  • Add sliced fresh mushrooms and sautĆ©e until soft.
  • Deglaze the pan with the marsala wine & add the rehydrated (dried) mushrooms if using.
  • Add remaining ingredients: olive oil, butter, pumpkin purĆ©e, chicken broth, cashew milk, red wine vinegar, spices.
  • Mix miso paste in a little of the liquid and add to the sauce pan.
  • Add 1/3 c pasta water.
  • Boil until the liquid reduces and begins to thicken. Once it starts to look more like sauce, turn the heat down to low to finish with your pasta.
  • Once your sauce is nearly thickened enough, add pasta that is cooked al dente and finish cooking it in the sauce.
  • Grate or add dollops of your favorite cheese and a drizzle of olive oil to serve with roast split chicken breast on the side.
dairy free gluten free chicken marsala
Roast Split Chicken Breast

Filed Under: B Vitamins, B1 (Thiamin), B2 (Riboflavin), B3 (Niacin), B5 (Pantothenic Acid), B6 (Pyridoxine), Calcium, Copper, Dairy Free, Dinner, Fat Soluble Vitamins, Gluten Free, Iron, Magnesium, Minerals, Pasta, Phosphorous, Recipe, Selenium, Sodium, Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Zinc

February 6, 2020 by Aimee Hockett Leave a Comment

Dairy Free Pumpkin Corn Chowder

Easy soup is a winter warrior on a cloudy weeknight. Even better if it is hearty and creamy with a side of delicious toast. Chowder is not a common word used for those who are dairy free but this Dairy Free Pumpkin Corn Chowder has no shortage of comfort or creaminess. This recipe is so easy to throw together and just as easy to make vegan or adjust to your own personal restrictions.

Dairy Free Pumpkin Corn Chowder

Preparing your Dairy Free Chowder

There are a few ways to prepare this recipe. There are some nights where you are dying for a bowl of soup but don’t want a bunch of leftover soup. This recipe is written up to feed 1-2 people as a quick, easy meal you can throw together. If you happen to want leftovers, you can double the recipe or simply increase the amount of pumpkin, corn, and broth of choice.

To get started, assess what method is easiest for you. For me, I take a mortar & pestle and begin by just mashing the pine nuts until it becomes coarse. I add some of the defrosted corn and continue mashing until it becomes more of a paste. I slowly add more corn, small splashes of water and olive oil until it becomes a thick mixture. I don’t puree until it is completely creamy, I like there to be some texture left.

If you do want this to be a smoother puree, you can blend it in a small blender or food processor. Just add all of the ingredients in the corn section of the recipe. If you pulse your appliance, you can leave the mixture still chunky like I do.

To make this recipe extra creamy, I like to stir in a dollop of my dairy free pumpkin butter at the end. To keep this recipe vegan, you can sub for coconut butter and coconut oil. You can also try out my favorite dairy free butter by Miyokos.

dairy free pumpkin butter
pumpkin corn chowder

This recipe is fantastically satisfying and comforting but also very healthy. Making it dairy free has it’s own health benefits, but this recipe is rich in B1 (thiamin), B3 (Niacin), Iron, Magnesium, Potassium, Vitamin A, & Zinc. A bunch of of herbs on top brightens up the flavor of this soup-er savory Dairy Free Pumpkin Corn Chowder and adds a serious kick of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients.

Dairy Free Pumpkin Corn Chowder
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Dairy Free Pumpkin Corn Chowder

Chowder without the dairy. First mash defrosted frozen corn with nuts, pumpkin, onion, and broth for an easy dairy free pumpkin corn chowder.
Course Soup
Keyword chowder, corn chowder, pumpkin
Servings 2
Author Aimee from A.K. Kitchen & Nutrition

Ingredients

  • 1/4 c frozen cooked corn thawed, (fire roasted is my favorite)
  • 1/4 c hemp seeds or pine nuts
  • 1-3 tsp water
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp butter, ghee or more olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion or medium shallot minced
  • 1-3 cloves of garlic minced
  • 1 bunch of chopped herbs I recommend: sage, rosemary, parsley
  • 2 tbsp white wine vinegar or white wine
  • 1 c pumpkin puree
  • 1-3 c broth
  • 1/3 c cashew milk
  • garlic herb butter
  • salt & pepper

Instructions

Corn

  • With a mortar and pestle or food processor, begin mashing thawed corn with the hemp seeds or pine nuts.
  • Slowly add small amounts of oil and water, alternating to help you mash the seeds/nuts.

Soup

  • Heat a pot on medium low. Add butter.
  • Once heated, add shallots with salt and cook until softened and they begin to brown. Add herbs, garlic and pinch more salt and pepper.
  • Cook until softened for a minute. Deglaze the pan with the wine.
  • Add pumpkin puree and corn/hemp seed puree.
  • Stir in with onions and spices before adding the broth and milk.
  • Simmer until chowder reaches the desired thickness.
  • Top with garlic herb butter
dairy free pumpkin butter
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Dairy Free Pumpkin Butter

Easily Made Creamy Dairy Free Pumpkin Butter. So good you will want to just eat it like a dip.
Author Aimee from A.K. Kitchen & Nutrition

Ingredients

  • 1/4 c refined coconut oil
  • 1/4 c lard or tallow * or additional 1/4 c of refined coconut oil to keep vegan
  • 1 Tbsp coconut butter
  • 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • salt to taste
  • 2 Tbsp pumpkin puree chilled

Instructions

  • Soften the fats but do not melt completely.
  • With a whisk, begin beating the fats together until there are no lumps
  • Add salt and cool pumpkin puree. Begin beating vigorously to avoid lumps and to help fluff it and harden the texture of the fats.
  • If adding additional flavors, fold those in gently with a spatula.

Notes

To make garlic herb flavored option:
1 clove garlic
rosemary
parsley
sage
Smash garlic with the flat side of your knife. Salt heavily. Begin chopping garlic and herbs together very fine until it is almost a paste like texture. Let the mixture sit out in the open air for about a half an hour before mixing into butter.
pumpkin corn chowder

Filed Under: Appetizer, B Vitamins, B1 (Thiamin), B3 (Niacin), Copper, Dairy Free, Dinner, Fat Soluble Vitamins, Gluten Free, Iron, Lunch, Magnesium, Minerals, Phosphorous, Potassium, Recipe, Side Dish, Sodium, Soup, Vitamin A, Zinc

November 19, 2019 by Aimee Hockett Leave a Comment

White Chocolate Nightcap Latte

With 50-70 million US adultsĀ suffering with a sleep disorder, it is important we do what we can to improve our evening routines to ensure good sleep. After all, sleep is not a luxury Ā but a necessary entity to life, health and disease prevention. There are many daily health routines we need to manage to regulate a restful sleep cycle. Elements of stress, blood sugar, mood, digestion, metabolism, and musculoskeletal health are all required for the regulation of our sleep. It can be hard to manage all of that. Having a backup plan like thisĀ White Chocolate Nightcap Latte, you can relax into that restful sleep so many people miss out on.Ā 

While many habitual aspects of our life can be adjusted to improve our sleep routine, nothing compares to a cozy cup of tea when you are in a pinch and can’t get to sleep. If you love matcha, you have to try this caffeine free nightcap (if you want caffeine, you can also check out my matcha recipe!) – it settles the mind, body and nourishes you for an energized start to your morning.Ā 

This White Chocolate Nightcap Latte offers no shortage of comfort, flavor and sleep supporting health benefits.Ā 

White Chocolate Nightcap Latte

Ā 

Nutrient Profile in The Lavender White Chocolate Nightcap Latte:

Moringa

This highly valued leaf is used for many medicinal and food applications, originating in the tropical regions of the world. Even dried, the leaves have a powerful nutrient profile with 19 different amino acids. Up to 30% of the total nutrients are proteins. It contains a wide range of minerals like calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, potassium, zinc, copper, manganese, iron, and selenium. Not only is it full of proteins and important minerals, but it also contains 17 beneficial fatty acids like alpha-linolenic acid. It contains fat soluble vitamins like 77 mg of vitamin e and 18 mg of vitamin a to compliment the fat profile along with antioxidants and gut friendly fiber. As a plant based ingredient, it has a very complete nutrient profile. (Busani et. al 2001).Ā 

Ā 

This blend of nutrients is amazing for skin, hair, mood, stress, sleep, and digestion. With a sweet grassy flavor similar to matcha, it’s a great option to keep in rotation for delicious caffeine free recipes.Ā 

white chocolate moringa latte maroon sweater

Lavender

Many people love lavender essential oil aromatherapy for stress or a good night’s sleep. It is important to note that there are a few different types of lavender with slightly different properties. There are 3 different types of lavender: medicinal lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), true lavender (Lavendula officinalis) and common lavender (Lavendula vera). This sweet smelling herb has been recorded for thousands of years for it’s medicinal benefits. The latin root of Lavender’s name even means ā€œcleanā€ or ā€œto washā€ due to its antibacterial and anti-pest benefits.Ā 

Ā 

While the nutrient profile can vary due to the type of lavender or growing conditions, itĀ  contains a variety of essential oils, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper, and iron. Infusions and extracts (the form recommended for this recipe) have sedating, muscle relaxing and pain relieving properties. Throughout history, tinctures of lavender are recorded to aid with depression, headaches, anxiety, Alzheimer’s, and respiratory health.Ā  (Prusinowska & Śmigielski 2014).Ā 

Ā 

The list of potential benefits that come with lavender make it an easy choice when dealing with insomnia, stress, frequent illness, and even practical home applications like cleaning or insect management.Ā 

Ā 

Cacao Butter

As the only fat component of chocolate, cacao butter has a key role in texture and flavor of this recipe. Even though cacao butter is mostly fat, it contains a few antioxidants like quercetin. Quercetin is known to assist with seasonal allergies, inflammation, and heart health. It even has a role in protecting the body against certain cancers. Quercetin may be beneficial for asthma, stroke, fibromyalgia and eczema. The fatty acid profile in cacao butter is complemented with fat soluble vitamins like vitamin K and vitamin e. These vitamins act as powerful antioxidants and can help with skin elasticity, wound healing, digestion, prostate health and energy. (Hannum & Erdman 2000) 

In addition to the other super powered ingredients in this recipe, cacao butter has a key role for it’s fat and antioxidant properties. Fat is necessary for some antioxidants to be absorbed (like vitamin e, & vitamin k), making cacao butter a purposeful ingredient to this recipe. A main priority during sleep is to put absorbed antioxidants to work in order to clear or reduce system wide inflammation. The coupling of fat with fat soluble vitamins like vitamin k and vitamin e is crucial to achieving the full potential of anti-inflammatory benefits in the body during sleep. This role of antioxidants ensures that you wake up feeling rested and ready for the next day. (Gluec et. al 2012) 

white chocolate moringa latte recipe card

If you struggle with sleep often or occasionally need a quick cup to help a racing mind, this recipe can take your sleep routine to a new level of peaceful. Whether you need a mid-day stress relief or a way to calm your mind and body to prepare for a new day, this recipe has your back and will nourish you mind, body and taste buds. Next time you reach for a pick me up, remember your end of the day settle down!

White Chocolate Nightcap Latte
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White Chocolate Nightcap Latte

Author Aimee from A.K. Kitchen & Nutrition

Ingredients

  • 1/2 c steamed milk of choice (I prefer cashew or oat milk)
  • 1/2 c hot, almost simmering water
  • 1 Tbsp white cacao butter (melted / heated in milk)
  • 1/2-1 tsp tsp moringa powder
  • 1 tsp raw honey, maple syrup or coconut sugar
  • pinch salt
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla bean powder or vanilla extract (heated in milk)
  • 1 dropper dropper lavender extract (not essential oil)

Instructions

  • Steam milk with cacao butter, do not boil
  • Simmer water in a teapot or electric tea kettle. Do not let this boil either. Water that is too hot can ruin the flavor and nutrients in the moringa.

Filed Under: Beverage, Calcium, Copper, Dairy Free, Dessert, Fat Soluble Vitamins, Iron, Magnesium, Minerals, Nutrients, Nutrition, Phosphorous, Potassium, Recipe, Selenium, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Zinc

November 7, 2019 by Aimee Hockett Leave a Comment

Luxurious Dairy Free Mashed Potatoes

Pumpkin Season is in full swing! I like to take advantage of the abundance of pumpkin farms near my home and cook all my pumpkin for the season fresh. With the right tools, this daunting task is a no-brainer and is almost as easy and valuable as buying a can in the store. Living out in the country, it is in my best interest to reduce my waste collection. Accumulating a large amount of recycling is not ideal in small living spaces where any trash outside means attracting wild animals outside my door. The effort I spend Ā cooking my own pumpkin from scratchĀ is equivalent or greater in value to the accumulation of recycling.

The process of cooking pumpkin from scratch can definitely be time consuming but I use my handy Insta-pot and food processor. These tools make the process seamless and only about 30 minutes. Because home cooked pumpkin is so nutritious and has wonderful, velvety textures and flavors, I love to add it to creamy smooth dishes. One of my favorite ways to boost my Luxurious Dairy Free Mashed Potatoes is to add my dairy free garlic herb butter (which includes pumpkin) and an additional scoop of pumpkin to the mash. This seriously boosts the creaminess and comfort factor to my milk free mash!

loaded pumpkin herb mash potato

While I love a traditional serving of plain mashed potatoes, perfect for a heaping of gravy, I also love to dress it up from time to time. For this dish, I decided to go for a ‘loaded potatoes’ theme. I love to serve this with my Roast Split Chicken breast recipe (in tomato or pumpkin versions). You can use some of the bacon used to flavor the vegetables and sauce in the Chicken recipe as a topping for these Luxurious Dairy Free Mashed Potatoes. The bacon topping is optional for this recipe. Ā For more tips on how I prepped the garlic and herbs for the herb butter, download my free Balanced Spices Toolkit!

Luxurious Dairy Free Mashed Potatoes

How to Make these Mashed Potatoes Creamy & Luxurious

If you do not need these mashed potatoes to be dairy free, feel free to use butter and cream if that is your preference. Ghee is an option for those who are lactose intolerant but still want a buttery flavor. I love using a small amount of ghee in this but limit my use because I am especially sensitive to dairy. To supplement the creaminess and fat, I want to make sure that it does not have any other unnecessary flavors like coconut or soy. If you happen to want to keep it dairy free or simply lighter (but still comforting), here is my Dairy Free Pumpkin Herb Butter Recipe.

dairy free pumpkin butter

Please note that if you prefer to keep this easy and vegan, I recommend mixing the garlic herb mixture and pumpkin to an already pre-made dairy free butter. I love the brand Miyokos and often use it instead!

dairy free pumpkin butter
Print Pin

Dairy Free Pumpkin Butter

Easily Made Creamy Dairy Free Pumpkin Butter. So good you will want to just eat it like a dip.
Author Aimee from A.K. Kitchen & Nutrition

Ingredients

  • 1/4 c refined coconut oil
  • 1/4 c lard or tallow * or additional 1/4 c of refined coconut oil to keep vegan
  • 1 Tbsp coconut butter
  • 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • salt to taste
  • 2 Tbsp pumpkin puree chilled

Instructions

  • Soften the fats but do not melt completely.
  • With a whisk, begin beating the fats together until there are no lumps
  • Add salt and cool pumpkin puree. Begin beating vigorously to avoid lumps and to help fluff it and harden the texture of the fats.
  • If adding additional flavors, fold those in gently with a spatula.

Notes

To make garlic herb flavored option:
1 clove garlic
rosemary
parsley
sage
Smash garlic with the flat side of your knife. Salt heavily. Begin chopping garlic and herbs together very fine until it is almost a paste like texture. Let the mixture sit out in the open air for about a half an hour before mixing into butter.

If you would like to make things easier for yourself, one of my favorite dairy free butters can be found in many health food stores. Check out their website to find a store locator: https://miyokos.comĀ 

In addition to using this fat source in my mash, I will include a few tablespoons of garlic infused olive oil, some of the liquid used to cook the potatoes and add almond milk or whatever dairy free milk I have on hand (I do not recommend coconut, make sure it is unsweetened). The amount of liquid, butter, oil and salt that you need to include varies based on the amount of potatoes you cook and the type of potato you choose. Some may need more than others if it has a drier texture, so add about half of what you think you need of liquid and fat and then add more in small increments until you have reached your desired texture. I may add additional pumpkin to the mashed potatoes if I want more flavor, if the potatoes are dry or if I have fewer potatoes than I want to cook and serve.

How to Flavor This Mash

Honestly, there really is nothing worse than showing up to a family or friend gathering expecting mashed potatoes and the person has done them up so fancy and so flavorful that you lose what you love about mashed potatoes. It’s a travesty and potatoes on their own are so bland that we tend to over-season them. An over-flavored mashed potato does not make an ideal side dish because you lose all of the magic of the main dish with too many competing flavors.

I like my garlicky, herby loaded potatoes to be complimentary to my meal’s main star. To flavor these potatoes so they shine but don’t compete, I use a few tricks to soften the flavor of my garlic, making it the perfect round complimentary flavor profile.

The first way: add garlic olive oil (see in previous section about how to make these mashed potatoes creamy)

The second way: roasted garlic. I roast most of my garlic except for one – two cloves. Roasted garlic has a very soft flavor and can even enhance the creamy texture of the potatoes.

The third way:

Smash two cloves of raw garlic.

Salt.

Begin chopping with herbs.

Once you have a dice, add more salt and continue to chop until it becomes almost like a paste. Add a little more salt and let it sit out in the open air for several minutes, even up to a half an hour. I will do this early on in the cooking process to let the flavors soften and the nutrients of the garlic to become extracted.

I mix this final mixture into my dairy free pumpkin butter and stir it into the mashed potatoes when I am ready to smash!

loaded dairy free mashed potatoes

Filed Under: B Vitamins, B1 (Thiamin), B2 (Riboflavin), B3 (Niacin), B5 (Pantothenic Acid), B6 (Pyridoxine), Copper, Dairy Free, Dinner, Gluten Free, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorous, Potassium, Recipe, Side Dish, Sodium, Vitamin A, Zinc

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