Top 5 Simple Family Meals (Gluten Free + Dairy Free)

Dinner doesn’t have to be stressful!
Below are our family's top 5, easy, gluten-free and dairy free meals: 

Simple Korean Beef

(We usually double this recipe for leftovers!)

Ingredients:

-1/3 cup GF soy sauce (or coconut aminos - if using, add a little extra)
-1/4 teaspoon chili pepper flakes
-1.5 tablespoon coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
-3 garlic cloves minced
-1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
-1 lb ground beef

Recipe:

In a small bowl, mix soy sauce, pepper flakes, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and corn starch. Set aside.

Heat vegetable oil in a pan over medium heat. Saute ground beef until brown and no pink left. Add the sauce and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the rice.

Serve cooked Korean beef over Jasmine rice and top with green onions and sesame seeds.

Our Family Favorite: Grilled Chicken Thighs + Coconut Rice

 Ingredients:

For chicken:
-2 lbs chicken thighs
-Nando’s Lemon & Herb Peri-Peri sauce (or similar sauce - this is a sauce you can buy from a restaurant in Chicago)

For rice (we usually double this FYI- does not change cook time):
-1.5 cups jasmine rice
-1 can coconut milk
-1/2 cup vegetable stock
-1 tsp coconut sugar
-1/4 tsp salt 

Recipe:

Marinate chicken thighs in sauce for a minimum of 2 hours.  Grill chicken thighs until fully cooked.

While chicken thighs are grilling, make your coconut rice! Add all rice ingredients into Instant Pot. Cook on manual for 3 minutes, then let Instant Pot naturally release for 7 minutes. Upon initially opening lid, rice may look soupy. Stir well and let sit for 5 minutes to thicken.

Service chicken and rice with grilled peppers, grilled zucchini or vegetable of choice.

Family Night Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas 

Ingredients:

-2 lbs chicken breasts cut into thin strips
-1 yellow bell pepper, 1 red bell pepper, 1 orange red bell pepper cut into strips
-1 onion cut into strips
-4 tbs olive oil
-Taco seasoning of choice (we use Spice Islands taco seasoning from Costco)

Recipe:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place chicken, peppers, onions, olive oil and taco seasoning (enough to coat) in gallon ziplock bag or bowl. Shake or stir until chicken and vegetables are well coated.

Place mixture onto baking sheet in a single layer. Place into oven and bake for 25 minutes (or until chicken is fully cooked). I like to flip halfway through.

Serve with: tortillas, lime, sour cream, mexican rice or other toppings of choice.
For added veggies, you can combine cauliflower rice to the mixture prior to placing in oven!

Seriously Easy Instant Pot Chicken + Rice

(Modified from A Pinch of Healthy)

Ingredients:

-1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs (up to 1.5 pounds works)
-Tbs olive oil
-Half an onion diced
-1 cup carrots diced
-1 cup mushrooms diced (we dice ours very small so Oliver doesn't notice!)
-2 cloves garlic minced
-1.5 cups white jasmine rice
-2 cups chicken stock
-2 tsps dried thyme
-Salt and pepper to taste

Recipe:

Generously salt and pepper your chicken thighs. Start Instant Pot on saute setting and add olive oil. Place chicken thighs on oil once oil is hot. Sear chicken thighs for ~4 minutes on each side or until slightly browned (do not cook all the way through). Take chicken out and place on plate.

Add 1/4 cup broth to deglaze the pan and scrape the bits leftover from bottom of pan! Add onion, mushroom and carrots, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute.

Add the rest of the chicken stock, rice, dried thyme. Stir together and then place chicken thighs on top of the mixture. Place the lid on, and lock it, setting the valve to sealing. Cook on manual high pressure for 8 minutes, and allow the Instant Pot to release naturally for 10 minutes. Once complete, use forks to shred the chicken (will be very tender) and stir into mixture!

Throw It All In Chickpea Curry

(We use Thai Kitchen curry paste a majority of the time - it is easiest to find in the grocery store! This is another recipe we double for leftovers.)

Ingredients:

-1 can coconut milk
-2 tbs curry paste (red is our favorite)
-1 tbs brown sugar or coconut sugar
-1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
-Veggies of choice: broccoli, carrots, red pepper, onions (1/3 cup of each)
-Cooked jasmine rice

Recipe:

Bring coconut milk to simmer in large skillet. Stir in curry paste and sugar of choice until well mixed, then bring to a bowl. Reduce heat to low and simmer for ~5 minutes.

Stir in chickpeas and vegetables and cook until vegetables are cooked! Serve over jasmine rice.