Chicken Florentine with Pasta

Creamy gluten-free pasta with chicken, spinach, pesto, tomato sauce, and Alfredo sauce. 

**Not Gluten Free?? Use regular pasta and your favorite Alfredo sauce.
**Not Dairy Free?? Use regular Alfredo sauce and Romano cheese.
**Grain Free? Substitute your favorite grain-free pasta or serve over zucchini noodles.


Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
6 oz fresh spinach (about 6 cups)
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized chunks
1 tsp garlic powder, to taste
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons pesto (Use your favorite gluten free store-bought pesto or Gluten Free Cinderella's Homemade Pesto Sauce.)
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
Alfredo sauce (Use your favorite gluten free store-bought Alfredo sauce or Gluten Free Cinderella's Homemade Alfredo Sauce.)
1 (12 oz) package gluten free penne pasta
1 tablespoon grated Romano cheese (If using homemade Alfredo sauce, the Romano cheese is already included.)

Optional:

Gluten Free Bread or Crackers
Celery, carrots or other vegetables
Tortilla chips

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, but do not add the pasta yet.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
3. Add the fresh spinach and cook until completely wilted, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
4. Place the chicken chunks in a large bowl. Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and season
   
   with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Toss until evenly coated.
5. Heat the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, about 8-10 minutes.
6. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
7. While the chicken is cooking, prepare the gluten free penne pasta according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
8. Stir the pesto into the chicken until evenly coated.
9. Add the tomato sauce and cooked spinach. Stir until combined and heated through.
10. Stir in the prepared Alfredo sauce and cook for another 3-5 minutes until everything is hot and creamy.
11. Add the cooked pasta and gently toss until evenly coated with the sauce.
12. Sprinkle with Romano cheese, if desired, and serve immediately.

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Cheesecake (Egg Free)

A rich, creamy gluten-free cheesecake with a buttery graham cracker crust. All without eggs and easy to make for any special occasion!

Not Gluten-Free?? Use regular graham cracker crumbs for the crust.
Not Dairy-Free?? Use regular butter, sour cream, heavy cream, and cream cheese.
Not Egg-Free?? Use Cinderella's other Cheesecake Recipe
Dairy-Free? Substitute dairy-free butter, dairy-free cream cheese, dairy-free sour cream, and full-fat coconut cream.

Serves: 8 slices

Ingredients:

For the crust:

1½ cups gluten-free graham cracker crumbs (Cinderella loves Schar Honeygrams or Schar Mini Honeygrams)
5 tablespoons melted butter (or dairy-free butter)
2 tablespoons sugar

For the filling:

16 ounces cream cheese, softened
¾ cup sugar
1 cup sour cream (or dairy-free sour cream)
¼ cup heavy cream (or coconut cream)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Prepare the Crust

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar
• Press firmly into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan
• Bake for 8 minutes, then allow the crust to cool completely

2. Make the Filling

• Beat the softened cream cheese until completely smooth
• Add the sugar and continue mixing until creamy
• Blend in the sour cream and heavy cream
• Mix in the cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and salt
• Beat until the filling is silky smooth with no lumps

Cinderella's Tip: Cornstarch replaces the eggs, helping the cheesecake set while keeping it rich and creamy.

3. Bake

• Pour the filling over the cooled crust
• Bake at 325°F for 45–55 minutes
• The edges should be set while the center still has a slight jiggle

4. Cool

• Turn off the oven and crack the oven door open.
• Leave the cheesecake inside for 1 hour.
• Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, though overnight produces the best texture.

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Chili

Comfort food at its best with tender ground beef, hearty beans, and rich homemade chili seasoning.

**Not Gluten Free?? Serve with corn muffins or cornbread
**Not Dairy Free?? Serve with regular sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese
**Grain Free?? Eat recipe by itself
**Paleo?? Leave out beans and use homemade tomato sauce 

Serves: 4

Note: This recipe takes 3-4 hours to cook, but it's worth it! Just leave yourself some time to prepare it.

Ingredients:

3 Tbs olive oil
1/2 Tsp celery seed
1 onion, minced
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 cloves of garlic, minced or 1 tsp garlic powder)
1 tsp cumin seed, crushed
1 pound chopped beef, chicken or turkey
1 bay leaf
3 cups of water
2 Tbs chili powder
1 1/3 cups crushed tomatoes
1/8 tsp basil
1 green pepper minced
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1 can beans (any type of beans)
Tortilla Chips (Cinderella loves Mission tortilla rounds)

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot, add the onion and garlic and sauté until golden brown
2. Add the meat and cooked until brown or cooked all the way through. (If making vegetarian chili skip this step)
3. Add all remaining ingredients and stir well.
4. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the sauce is as thick as desired, about three to four hours.
5. Serve with tortilla chips.

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Cobb Salad

Fresh romaine topped with grilled chicken, bacon, avocado, eggs, tomatoes, and blue cheese for a satisfying gluten-free meal.

**Not Gluten Free?? Top with your favorite croutons
**Not Dairy Free?? Add 1/4 cup blue cheese to each salad
**Paleo/Grain Free?? Depending on your view, add the bacon and tomatoes or leave them off  

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
6 slices bacon (Cinderella loves Applegate naturals Sunday bacon)
2 eggs
4 cups lettuce
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 avocado, pitted, peeled and diced
1/2 red onion chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat grill to 400 degrees F
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
3. Slice each chicken breasts to make 2-3 thin slices (See Cinderella's post on How to Cut Thin Sliced Chicken Cutlets)
4. Place chicken slices in a gallon sized Ziploc baggie with olive oil, salt, black pepper, basil and oregano and mix well, set aside
5. Place eggs in a saucepan and cover completely with cold water.
6. Bring water with eggs to a boil then cover, remove saucepan from heat and let eggs stand in hot water for about 10 minutes
7. Put slices of bacon on a cookie sheet and place in oven, bake for about 15 minutes or until crispy
8. Peel avocado and cut around the pit, dice into small pieces
9. Cut tomatoes and onion
10. Grill chicken on preheated grill about 4 minutes on each side
11. Remove your eggs from the hot water, peel and chop into pieces
12. Chop chicken into cubes
13. Divide lettuce among 4 plates, top evenly with chicken, bacon, eggs, tomatoes, avocado and onion

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Chinese Peanut Sauce with Noodles and Chicken

Tender chicken and rice noodles tossed in a creamy homemade Chinese-style peanut sauce that's savory, slightly sweet, and full of flavor.

**Not Gluten Free?? Can use regular spaghetti instead of rice noodles
**Not Dairy Free?? No change :-)
**Grain Free?? Serve with Zucchini Noodles or over stir fry vegetables
**Paleo??  Serve with Zucchini Noodles, or over stir fry vegetables, substitute soy sauce for coconut aminos, peanut butter for almond or cashew butter, use apple cider vinegar, use stevia instead of sugar

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

For the noodles
1/2 pound rice noodles (Cinderella loves Thai Kitchen Rice Noodles)
1 bunch green onions/scallions (chopped white parts only, set aside green parts for garnish )
2 Tbs sesame oil
1/2 tsp ginger powder (or 1 tsp fresh ginger root)
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth (updated recipe!)
1 Tbs cider vinegar (or rice vinegar)
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

For the chicken (optional)
2 chicken breasts thinly sliced (see Cinderella's post on How to Cut Thinly Sliced Chicken Breasts)
4 Tbs sesame oil
1/4 tsp ginger powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
2 Tbs soy sauce
2 tsp cider vinegar

Directions:

1. Slice chicken and put in a large bowl or gallon size Ziploc baggie
2. Pour 4 Tbs sesame oil, 1/4 tsp ginger powder, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp white pepper, 2 Tbs soy sauce and 2 tsp cider vinegar on top of chicken and mix well, set aside
3. Boil a large pot of water
4. Light grill to medium/high flame
5. Cook chicken about 4 minutes on each side, when finished chop into cubes
6. While water is coming to a boil combine 2 Tbs sesame oil and chopped green onions in a skillet on a medium flame, sauté until tender about 5 minutes
7.  Add 1/2 tsp ginger powder and cook for another 2 minutes
8. Take skillet off flame (updated recipe!)

9. Add 1/3 cup peanut butter, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup water, 1 Tbs vinegar, 1 tsp sugar and 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes into skillet and mix well
10. Cook noodles according to package
11. Add sauce back to a very low flame and mix well

12. Mix noodles in with the sauce
13. Place chicken on top of noodles
14. Garnish with green scallions if desired

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