Chocolate Chip Cookies at the Beach!

Happy Thursday! This morning I decided to take a break from eggs for breakfast and have my simple Fage 2% Greek yogurt with cinnamon and a little stevia instead. Last night I had planned to make "yellow squash pasta" for dinner with Italian sausage, peppers and mushrooms in the sauce...but both of us were still so full after having such a late lunch yesterday (close to 4:00 pm) that neither of us were hungry for dinner.  So, instead, I did what every other respectable person on vacation at the beach would do...I made chocolate chip cookies (recipe below) to have with our toasted hazelnut coffee last night! LOL  I snapped a photo for you to see below. It's a beautiful and cool morning here so we are going to get our morning beach walk in before it gets too hot. Enjoy!

P.S. -- Happy Birthday to my oldest son today! You have been such a beautiful gift in my life and I love you so very, very much!

Quick and Easy Wheat-Free Turkey Wrap

After spending several hours on the beach swimming and sunning this afternoon...we decided to take a little break and have a late lunch. I had one flaxseed wrap left from yesterday morning's breakfast burrito that I made (using the Wheat-free Market flaxseed wrap mix) since it makes 2 wraps. I saved it (in the refrigerator) to make a sandwich wrap for lunch today. I spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on the wrap and then topped it with thin slices of Boars Head Turkey Pastrami (wheat/gluten free), thinly sliced sharp white cheddar cheese, sliced avocado and tomato and then rolled it up and served it alongside some roasted almonds. The wraps made a great sandwich! I snapped a couple quick photos for you to see below. Enjoy!

Brussels Sprouts-Bacon Hash Topped w/ Fried Organic Eggs...

Happy Wednesday! We awoke to another beautiful cool and breezy morning here at the beach today, but it's supposed to get hot as the day progresses. When I made last night's brussels sprouts for dinner, I used a 2-pound bag and prepared only half of them as roasted sprouts for our veggie last night and went ahead while I had the cutting board out and the sprouts rinsed and simply prepped the remaining pound to use to make breakfast hash with this morning. I stemmed and thinly sliced 1 pound of small fresh brussels sprouts (about 1/4" thick) and placed them in a bowl, covered and refrigerated to use this morning. When I got up this morning, I added about 1 tablespoon of water to the bowl of thinly sliced sprouts, covered it with a glass lid and steamed them on high in the microwave for about 5 minutes until they were bright green and somewhat softened. While the sprouts steamed, I began cooking about 1/3 cup of thinly sliced Vidalia onion in a little light olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring frequently until they were translucent. I diced the remaining 4 pieces of oven roasted Applewood smoked bacon left from breakfast a few days ago and tossed them into my skillet along with the onions and then spooned the steamed sprouts into the skillet, added a bit more oil and began browning the sprouts/onion/bacon until it was dark and golden...and "hash-like". I seasoned it generously with freshly ground sea salt and cracked black pepper. When the sprouts were almost cooked the way I like them, I added some butter and tossed it around. I served our Brussels Sprouts-Bacon Hash topped with a fried organic egg lightly sprinkled with some shredded sharp cheddar cheese. To go with my hash and egg breakfast, I mashed a couple of overripe strawberries with a fork in a small bowl and added some Greek Gods plain yogurt and a few drops of stevia and mixed it together to eat with my meal. It was a top 10 breakfast...even hubby enjoyed it! When I told him I was making "Brussels Sprouts-Bacon Hash"...he sort of turned up his nose and said "greaaaaaaaaaat"...but not with too much sincerity. I am happy to report that not only did he like it...he scraped up every single bite on his plate! As much as I used to like regular hash browns made with potatoes...I honestly could not enjoy them any more than I did these made with brussels sprouts. They were awesome! I snapped a few photos for you to see below. Now...back to the beach! Enjoy!

Mashing the berries rather than dicing them gives you beautiful "pink yogurt" because of the juice!

GGC was here...

Sweet & Spicy Peanut Dusted Chicken

This evening I made quick and easy Sweet & Spicy Peanut Dusted Chicken. I cooked 3 large chicken cutlets (close to 3/4 of a pound). I made a simple egg wash by beating together an egg, splash of milk, few grinds of sea salt , black pepper and about 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper. In a separate bowl I combined about 1/4 cup peanut flour (Protein Plus Peanut Flour, which is ground super fine, almost like dust), 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, a few good grinds of black pepper and about 1 tablespoon of granular Swerve Sweetener. I dipped the cutlets into the egg wash and then into the flour mixture, shaking off the excess and placed them in a large skillet coated with light olive oil over medium-high heat and browned them on both sides until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. They turned out absolutely delicious with a slightly sweet and spicy, peanutty Asian-type flavor. I served them along with roasted baby brussels sprouts that I tossed with light olive oil, sea salt and black pepper and roasted in a 400 degree F oven for about 18 minutes. We had an early dinner this evening so we could get back down to the beach in time to shoot a few photos of the sun setting. I snapped a few photos for you to see below. Enjoy!

  

Breakfast Burrito at the Beach...

Happy Tuesday! This morning we got up early and took a long walk on the beach while it wasn't too hot yet and staked our umbrella and chairs. Even though I usually walk 4 to 5 miles most days at home...walking barefoot on the beach is definitely a lot more of a workout on your calves and legs...that's for sure! When we finished up our walk, I made another big breakfast to keep us fueled for the day (wheat free, of course). I made flax wraps (using Flaxseed Wrap Mix from the Wheat Free Market) to make breakfast burritos with. The wraps only take a couple of minutes to make in the microwave. I filled them with thin omelettes, Monterey pepper jack cheese, fresh baby spinach, thinly sliced tomatoes and a couple of pieces of leftover bacon from a couple days ago. I also mashed a couple of large ripe berries with a fork and stirred them into some Greek Gods yogurt so I could have a cup of "strawberry yogurt" to go with my breakfast burrito. It's another beautiful morning here -- I could get used to this! I snapped a couple photos of my breakfast burrito below. Enjoy!

Grilled NY Strip Steaks & Salad...Simple & Wheat-free

We spent this afternoon at the beach trying to stay on our feet in the choppy sea after last night's storm came through and churned it up a bit. What a difference from yesterday's tranquil sea! I'm feeling a bit sore after a few body slams by some waves that snuck up on me!  LOL  I'm just hoping I'll be able to move tomorrow (it sucks not being a kid any more)! Between all the sunshine, playing in the surf and long walks on the beach...we are definitely getting our workouts in -- we are both pretty exhausted tonight! We made a quick and simple meal after our fun in the sun by grilling a couple NY strip steaks (seasoned with sea salt and cracked black pepper) and making a simple fresh salad (along with sauteed mushrooms in butter for me and a baked sweet potato for hubby). I snapped a quick photo for you to see below...now please excuse me while I go pass out from complete and total exhaustion...LOL. Enjoy!

Monday's Beach Brunch...and "What is that?"

This morning we started by taking our long walk on the beach first...before breakfast and before it got too hot. Last night we had a torrential thunderstorm in the middle of the night...but awoke to another beautiful clear sunny morning. Youngest son is headed back home this afternoon...it was great having him here for a few days. Maybe next time my other son and daughter will be able to join us too. When we got back from our walk this morning, I made scrambled eggs with fresh sauteed baby spinach, diced tomatoes and Monterey Jack pepper cheese along with an Easy Cheddar Black Pepper Biscuit. That and a cup of toasted hazelnut coffee made for a perfect late "brunch".  We've already staked out our spot on the beach and will be headed back down shortly. Last night we went out to eat at a small little restaurant nearby...I had char-grilled grouper and haricot verts drizzled with olive oil and grilled lemon. I snapped a couple photos of our brunch as well as a really unusual and beautiful palm tree that we walk past on our way to the beach. I've never seen anything like it before. In the center of this beautiful short palm tree is what appears to be a tightly woven basket full of red "eggs"...I carefully pried it open to take a closer look inside while trying to take a picture with my phone. If anyone knows what kind of palm tree it is, I'd like to know! I've been googling and can't seem to find anything quite like it.  Enjoy!

What is that?

Sunday's Beach Breakfast...

Happy Sunday!  This morning we awoke to another bright, beautiful and sunny morning at the beach. Before heading out for the morning, I whipped up a delicious wheat free, grain free breakfast. I made little omelettes filled with sauteed onions, fresh baby spinach and torn bits of Applewood bacon left from yesterday's breakfast and topped it with sharp white cheddar cheese. I served them alongside my Easy Cheddar Black Pepper Biscuits that I made and brought with us from home. I also made a quick chocolate chip "mini-cake" using a little packet of muffin mix from the Wheat Free Market which is designed to be made in a mug...but of course, I always have to tinker just a little. I cooked mine in a small round casserole (bowl sized) and mixed it with an egg, a splash of heavy cream and a couple tablespoons of chopped walnuts...creating a chocolate chip walnut "mini-cake" that I cut into 4 small wedges and served with softened butter on top (it would also be good spread with some softened cream cheese, too). It only takes 1-1/2 minutes to cook in the microwave...and then you just flip it out onto a plate. I snapped a few photos for you to see below. Enjoy!

Saturday Morning's Breakfast...

Happy Saturday!  There is only one thing that I like more than a Saturday morning breakfast...a Saturday morning BEACH breakfast! We snuck away to the beach for a few days and arrived yesterday. One of my sons joined us for the weekend last night...while the other gets to house-sit since he has to work. I snapped a quick picture of my first beach breakfast this morning...an organic egg (cooked in my mini ceramic green frying pan), uncured oven roasted Applewood smoked bacon (by Maverick) and an Easy Cheddar Black Pepper Biscuit that I made back home, froze and brought with us. That along with a cup of toasted hazelnut coffee with cream...and life is pretty perfect right now!  I snapped a couple photos for you to see below before heading for my long walk on the beach. Enjoy!

Fabulous Friday's Food Finds...

I decided that I'd like to start posting and sharing some of my interesting "food finds" as I come across them. I usually post about them along with a recipe post and they probably tend to get lost in the shuffle. This past week I came across a couple new things at Costco that I hadn't seen before. I have been looking for the avocado oil that others have mentioned finding at their Costco, so I've been checking each time I go...and so far my Costco hasn't started carrying it yet. I did run across hazelnuts there for the first time a couple weeks ago, and was so excited since they can be hard to find (they were $10.99 for a 2-pound bag). I've used them twice now in a couple different recipes...my Chocolate Hazelnut Cookie Bars and my Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Cookies and I really love their nutty flavor when lightly roasted.  This past week, my Costco began carrying Pink Himalayan Sea Salt in a grinder for $4.79 for a 1-pound jar which is a great price! I prefer using Celtic sea salt or Pink Himalayan salt because they haven't been stripped of all their trace minerals the way regular table salt has been. Here is an interesting article that I read about Celtic Salt and Himalayan Sea Salt from "GreenMedInfo" if you are interested in learning about their benefits:  Real Salt, Celitc Salt and Himalayan Salt.  Amazon carries the exact same pink Himalayan salt, at about twice the price -- but is a great option if you don't belong to Costco. I also recently found a big jar of capers at my Costco (if you like those) for $5.99 for a jar holding a little over 2 pounds -- which is about the price I pay for a teeny weeny jar in the grocery store. I'm going to start using them in other recipes, too, since I've acquired a liking for their little salty snappy flavor that they add. Well...these are just a few of my more recent "Fabulous Friday's Food Finds" that I thought I'd share with you. I snapped a few photos below. Enjoy!

Quick Chicken Salad Cups

This evening is "clean out the fridge" night...meaning try to use up all the leftovers! Hubby is having the leftover Chicken Cutlets Stuffed w/ Spinach, Prosciutto and Herbed Chevre from a couple nights ago, and I made myself a quick chicken salad using the leftover rotisserie chicken that we had last night. I diced it up and then made a little dressing to mix it with using half mayonnaise and half fresh salsa which thinned it down and made it go further (I'm not a big mayo fan). The salsa gave the chicken salad a great flavor. I also added some finely diced celery and thinly sliced green spring onions as well. I filled little artisan romaine lettuce cups with the chicken salad and then topped them with diced mini Roma tomatoes and some crumbed XXX sharp white cheddar cheese left from earlier in the week when I made white cheddar cauliflower mash. They turned out fantastic and took me less than 15 minutes to whip up. I love it when you can make a few different meals out of leftovers by using a little creativity...and I love it even more when they are quick and simple. I have also used sour cream and mixed it with salsa as a dressing before, too -- so if you like sour cream, you could use that in place of the mayonnaise and just adjust the ratio to suit your own taste. I snapped a couple photos for you to see below. Enjoy!

Chicken Cutlets Stuffed w/ Spinach, Prosciutto and Herbed Chèvre

This evening I decided to use the package of chicken cutlets I had in the fridge. This weekend, I had picked up a small 4-ounce log of garlic and herb chèvre made by Ile de France (fresh grass-fed goat cheese). I quickly prepared a 5-ounce container of fresh organic baby spinach that I lightly sauteed just until wilted and then coarsely chopped. On my way home this afternoon, I stopped by the store to pick up a few slices of Boar's Head prosciutto to use in my stuffed/rolled chicken cutlets. I placed my 6 chicken cutlets between plastic wrap and used my meat pounder to flatten them to about 1/8" thick. I laid the cutlets out on a board and placed a slice of prosciutto on each cutlet, divided the spinach up between my 6 cutlets, zested about 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon zest over top of the spinach, divided the chèvre between the cutlets and crumbled it on top of the spinach and lemon zest layer. I rolled each cutlet up lengthwise into tight little bundles, dipped them in egg wash (1 egg beaten with a splash of water, sea salt and black pepper) and then rolled them in my crumb mixture to lightly coat (1/4 cup almond flour, 2 tablespoons ground golden flax, 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan, 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon onion powder and a dash of garlic powder). I placed them in a lightly oiled baking dish and dusted them with paprika, then baked in a 350 degree F oven for about 30 minutes. I served them alongside roasted brussels sprouts and the leftover white cheddar cauliflower mash from Sunday night's dinner. The chicken turned out delicious. I snapped a few photos for you to see below. Enjoy!

Ready to pop into the oven

BOOM!

Greek Style Spinach-Feta Pie (Crustless)

This evening I made my Greek Style Spinach-Feta Pie for dinner (one of my favorites), but decided to make it without the crust this evening. Over the weekend, I bought a new pie dish that I wanted to use and thought it might work better in that dish without the crust. It turned out great. The only change I made to the filling from my original version with crust, was that I added an extra egg (increased from 5 to 6 eggs) to add a little volume to the pie. It's quicker to make without the crust, although personally, I prefer it best with the crust because it makes it more substantial -- either way is good. This spinach-feta pie makes an excellent wheat-free breakfast, lunch or dinner. and is great with some added crumbled bacon, too. I snapped a few photos for you to see below as well as my recipe for the crustless version. Enjoy!

Greek Style Spinach-Feta Pie (Crustless)

Ingredients for Filling:

10 oz. fresh spinach (up to 16 oz), cooked and squeezed dry and chopped coarsely
2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
8 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried dill (or 1 to 2 teaspoons, if using fresh)
1 to 2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
6 eggs (or 1-1/2 cups Egg Beaters) 
1/2 cup half-and-half, cream or milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Lightly spray a 10" pie dish (I used a 9.5" fluted pie dish for this crustless version). 

In a non-stick skillet, saute onions and garlic in olive oil until translucent; remove and set aside.  In the same skillet, saute spinach, just until wilted.  Drain and press as much liquid out of the spinach as possible (I use a mesh strainer and press it with the back of a large spoon).  Place well drained spinach in a medium bowl (coarsely chop first, if desired); add cooked onions and garlic, feta, dill, lemon zest, pepper, eggs and half-and-half or cream.  Mix until well combined.  Pour mixture into the lightly oiled pie dish and bake at 350 F for 30-35 minutes, or until filling and eggs are set and cooked. If the center still seems a little jiggly, cook for an additional few minutes. Let cool about 5 minutes; cut into wedges and serve. Makes about 6 servings.

    

Pan Seared Wild Pacific Halibut w/ Lemon Wine Caper Sauce

This even I made simple Pan Seared Wild Pacific Halibut w/ Lemon Wine Caper Sauce. I fixed this recipe this past spring and loved it, so I decided to make it again, only slightly simplified because I used Kerrygold Garlic Herb Butter rather than mincing fresh garlic and parsley for the sauce. If you don't have Kerrygold Garlic Herb Butter, then saute 1 minced clove of garlic in your skillet after removing the halibut to a plate and add some fresh parsley to the sauce when you reduce it. Below is the simplified version I made this evening.

I heated my skillet with a little olive oil on medium-high heat, seasoned 3 halibut fillets (about 1 pound total) with a little sea salt and black pepper and then cooked them for 3 minutes on each side until lightly browned and transferred them to a plate and covered them with foil.  I normally add 1 large clove of finely minced garlic to the pan at this point and saute it for about 1 minute (but did not since I had the garlic and herb butter). Instead, I poured 1/4 cup of dry white wine (Chardonnay) into my hot skillet and reduced it by half (about 1 to 2 minutes). After the wine reduced, I whisked in about 2-3 tablespoons of Kerrygold Garlic Herb Butter until melted; then added salt and pepper to taste, 1 tablespoon capers, 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, (if using plain butter, add 1 teaspoon finely minced fresh parsley), about 1/3 cup of sliced miniature San Marzano tomatoes (or substitute sliced cherry tomatoes) and 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest and then heated it about 2 minutes while swirling the sauce in the pan.  I placed the halibut on the plate and topped it with the sauce and sprinkled with a little more fresh parsley and lemon zest.  The fish was cooked perfectly and very moist and tender. The sauce added lots of fresh flavor and complemented the fish perfectly. I served it alongside my modified Rich & Thick Parmesan Cauliflower Mash, only tonight I substituted 1-1/2 cups of shredded sharp white cheddar cheese instead of the cream cheese and Parmesan that usually goes into it and added a couple more tablespoons of cream. It turned out delicious and tasted like a smooth version of macaroni and cheese. We had french green beans with toasted almonds along with our meal. I snapped a couple photos for you to see below. Enjoy!

Swerve Giveaway Winner Announcement!

Good Morning!

This morning I am happy to announce the randomly selected winner of my "Celebrate Summer's End Giveaway" Contest (courtesy of Swerve). Thanks to all that entered!

Congratulations to winner, Deanna Stevens!

Please contact me via email within the next 24 hours (before noon EDT September 9, 2013) with your complete shipping information so Swerve can get your prize shipped out to you and you can begin grilling and baking right away! For your security and privacy, please email me directly by either clicking on the little "envelope" on the top right side of my blog or at GourmetGirlCooksBlog at gmail.com

*If no response is received in 24 hours, a new winner will be selected.

HOW TO ENTER:
The winning contestant will be chosen at random (must be a U.S. resident).  To enter a chance to win, all you need to do is: Leave a comment here on my blog and include the words "Swerve BBQ Contest" (1 entry per person per day).  Contest ends Friday, September 6, 2013 at Midnight EDT.  The winner will have 24 hours after being announced to contact Gourmet Girl Cooks (by email at GourmetGirlCooksBlog @ gmail.com) with their shipping address. If no response is received in 24 hours, a new winner will be selected.

*The product provided in this giveaway is contributed by and will be sent directly to the winner by Swerve.

The "Celebrate Summer's End Giveaway" Contest Is Over