Quinoa Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

1 cup quinoa, rinsed well
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 cup raisins
1 medium apple, cored and finely chopped
1/2 TBSP thyme
1 TBSP parsley
1 pork tenderloin
salt
pepper

1. Put quinoa and broth in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to simmer until all liquid has been absorbed.

2. Mix raisins, apple, thyme, and parsley into the quinoa. Salt and pepper to taste.

3. Cut off silver skin from the pork tenderloin. Butterfly (cut) lengthwise. Pound thin, about 1/2-1/4 inch.

4. Spread about half the quinoa mixture on the pork tenderloin. Roll pork tenderloin and tie with butcher twine in about 3-4 places.

5. Season top of tenderloin with a pinch of kosher salt and pepper. On a baking sheet, cook in the oven at 375-degrees for about 20 minutes or until pork is cooked to an internal temperature of 155-degrees.

6. Slice tenderloin and serve with the extra quinoa mixture as a side and a veggie of choice.

Snickerdoodle cookies

• 1 package (15 ounces) yellow gluten-free cake mix

• 1/4 cup lightly packed light brown sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 8 tablespoons butter (1 stick), cut into tablespoons

• 1 large egg

• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

• 1 tablespoon cinnamon sugar (see below)

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375˚F. Set aside 2 ungreased baking sheets.

2. Place the cake mix, brown sugar, and cinnamon in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse once to combine. Add the butter to the processor and pulse until the mixture is crumbly, 15 to 20 pulses. Add the egg and vanilla and pulse until the dough comes together in a large ball, 10 pulses.

3. Scoop the cookie dough into 1-inch balls, roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture, and arrange 12 balls on each baking sheet, 2 to 3 inches apart. If you want crisp 3-inch cookies, press down on the balls with the bottom of a small glass to flatten them. If you prefer chewy 2 1/2-inch cookies, do not flatten the balls of dough.

4. Place the baking sheets in the oven and bake the cookies until golden brown, 8 to 12 minutes. Using a metal spatula, immediately transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely, 15 minutes.

Cinnamon Sugar:

1. To make your own cinnamon sugar, stir 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon into 1/4 cup of granulated sugar.

Creamy Dairy-Free, Gluten-FreeTomato Soup

Ingredients:

1 12oz. can tomato paste
1 14oz. can diced tomatoes
3 slices of your favorite gluten-free bread, cubed with crusts cut off
1 small cooking onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 TBSP olive oil
1 TBSP sugar
2-3 cups chicken or vegetable broth (I made my own stock, but you can use herb-ox bouillon, if necessary)
salt
pepper


Directions:

1. In a large stock pot, mix together tomato paste, diced tomatoes, onion, garlic, 1/2 cup broth, bread cubes, and sugar. Bring to a slight bubble.

2. Pour into a blender, add olive oil, and puree. Be sure to hold the lid on tightly and remove lid slowly when finished pureeing, as the heat can cause pressure build-up.

3. Clean out your stock pot and return the puree to the pot. Add more broth slowly to desired consistency. Add less broth for a thicker soup. Add more broth for a thinner soup. Return to a boil.

4. Add salt and pepper to taste. You can garnish with fresh basil or parsley.