Gluten Free Spicy Shredded Chicken and Plantains

This is one of those typical weeknight creations I can easily throw together to enjoy a meal with my partner, or solo. It's not fancy, not expensive, and not a lot of work.  The only real work is shredding up the chicken (which is kind of cathartic to be honest) and cutting up some veggies.  The hot sauce you use is totally up to you.  There are tons of hot sauces out there to choose from. Some state that they are gluten free, some do not.  But in general, hot sauces are naturally gluten free products.  When in doubt, read the ingredients and if you're super sensitive to gluten, contact the company and ask them about cross-contamination issues.

This was the first time I've ever cooked plantains.  I was first introduced to the versatile plantain via a Mofongo dish in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico.  Since then I've wanted to cook with them, so I looked up some youtube videos of people cooking all sorts of plantains, and I figured I'd start with the absolute easiest way to do it. 

Feel free to change up the meat, or even fry up some tofu strips if you like.  The amount of hot-ness really depends on what you're into.  Add more, make things saucier, but also more deadly for tomorrow.  Choose wisely.

Ingredients
1 pound chicken
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped onions
4 or 5 chopped garlic cloves
butter
oil (olive, vegetable, whatever...)
2 or 3 yellow plantains
Salt & Pepper
cooked rice (optional)

Cooking Directions

1. Bring a pot (big enough to fit your plantains) of salty water to a boil
2. Bring a smaller pot (big enough to fit your chicken breasts) of salty, water to a boil. Add a small pat of butter
3. If cooking rice, throw 1 cup rice and 2 cups water in a rice cooker and turn on.  If you don't have a rice cooker, just do the same in a small covered pot. You'll want to bring the water to boil, add the rice and a little salt, cover, and reduce to simmer for 20 minutes
4. Cut off the ends of the plantains and throw them in the boiling water
5. Throw the chicken breasts in the boiling water
6. Set the timer for 20 minutes
7. Chop up a 1/2 to 1 cup of mushrooms and onions
8. Chop up 4 or 5 large garlic cloves
9. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil up (Medium/High) in a small pan and then throw in the onions, mushrooms and garlic.  Stir frequently while cooking until the onions are translucent, then cover, turn off and set aside
10. Around 15 minutes, your chicken should be cooked thoroughly.  Turn off heat and remove chicken with tongs and place on a cutting board.  Using two forks, shred up the chicken.  If the chicken cools down enough you can rip the chicken to shreds with your fingers (my preference)
11. Throw the shredded chicken in a bowl and add your hot sauce.  Keep going until you either 1) feel that it's hot enough! or 2) it's the creamy texture you need for optimum eating pleasure
12. Add the spicy shredded chicken to the pan of cooked onions, garlic and mushrooms and mix well over low heat
13. Remove the plantains when the timer goes off. Split down the middle and peal.  Serve sliced, buttered and dusted with salt.
14. Throw everything together on a plate (rice or no rice), grab a drink and get ready to enjoy yourself:)

Nutella Oatmeal No-Bake Cookies

This recipe is a modification of my aunt Vicki's no-bake PB Oatmeal cookies. Here's the link to that: PB No-Bake Oatmeal Cookies.  Instead of peanut butter, I decided to use Nutella, added a bit of instant coffee crystals, topped them with white chocolate chips, and viola! Awesomeness!

Here's a link to the Nutella Q&A webpage that states Nutella is GF:  NUTELLA Q & A

Now, I've got to be honest.  Unless you keep these in the fridge overnight, these cookies will not become even close to being solid.  However, they're still ridiculously good, kinda like truffles, and chocolatey fingers and smiles never hurt anyone.  This recipe is still a work in progress, so if you want to ensure that you'll have solid cookies, add half peanut butter and half Nutella, or add 1/2 cup ground almonds to the mix.  And you could always throw them in the freezer for a chocolatey cold summer treat:)

However you make these is irrelevant to how much you're going to love them!

Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 stick butter
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp instant coffee
• 3 tblsp cocoa 
• 3 cups certified GF oatmeal 
• 1/2 cup Nutella (or 1/4 cup Nutella / 1/4 cup peanut butter)
  
• white chocolate chips for adornment 

Directions

1. Put all the ingredients, except for the Nutella and Oatmeal in a saucepan.
2. Heat over Medium-Low heat, stirring frequently until all ingredients are thoroughly incorporated.
3. Add the Nutella (or Nutella/peanut butter combo) and stir around until mixed.
4. Remove from heat and add the oatmeal, mix well and let sit for 10-15 minutes.
5. Using a one-inch ice cream scooper (or spoon), drop cookies onto a non-stick cookie sheet or on wax paper.
6. Place cookies in refrigerator (or freezer) until cooled.
7. Devour and enjoy!