Holiday Chocolate Bark

Chocolate Bark is one of the most simple and fun Holiday treats to make. It’s perfect for gift-giving and the personal customization is endless. All you really need is chocolate and yummy toppings. So the question is… what kind of toppings will you choose?

Crushed peppermint candy or dried fruit and nuts? Crystallized ginger or rock candy sprinkles? Gluten-free pretzels, more chocolate chips and a dash of sea salt? Whatever you pick, you can’t go wrong. :)

Holiday Chocolate Bark
by Laura Friendly
Start to Finish: 1 hour (including refrigeration time)

• gluten & dairy-free semi sweet dark chocolate, broken into pieces
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• toppings of your choice
• sea salt, optional

Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. note: you can coat the baking sheet with cooking spray to help make the parchment paper stick

In a large, microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate in the microwave stirring every 30 seconds, until all of the chocolate is melted. This should take about 2 minutes. Add in vanilla and stir to combine. Pour melted chocolate onto the baking sheet and spread in an even layer.

Immediately sprinkle the chocolate with toppings and sea salt. Refrigerate until firm, about 40 minutes. Break into pieces and refrigerate, until you are ready to enjoy!

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Something I crave often, but rarely make, is Chicken Pot Pie. The warm, savory taste of creamy vegetables and flaky crust, create the perfect comfort food… but again, I rarely make this dish. Instead, when the craving pops up, l head over to my Mother’s house for a heaping bowl of her Chicken Pot Pie Soup. All of the same flavors and textures of Chicken Pot Pie but made into a healthier version of this classic winter dish.

This recipe begins by making the Autumn Chicken Soup I shared last week. A few years ago my Mom was making a fresh pot of her Autumn Chicken Soup when she decided to take it someplace new… something resembling a pot pie… and her Chicken Pot Pie Soup was created. It’s the perfect lower calorie version of a chicken pot pie. By replacing the layers of crust with miniature pie crust bites… it gives you the traditional taste you are looking for, but in a healthier way. This soup is amazing. I hope you enjoy. :)



Chicken Pot Pie Soup
by Laura Friendly’s Mom :)

Start to Finish: about 1 hour and 30 minutes
makes about 12+ cups of soup

• 1 quart (4 cups) gluten-free chicken stock
• 1 quart (4 cups) water
• 1 whole pre-roasted chicken broken into 4 or 5 chunks, with bones and juice
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 2 med onions, sliced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 ½ tbsp gluten & dairy-free chicken bullion
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tsp allspice
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp garlic salt
• ½ tsp roasted garlic, minced (optional)

• 4 to 6 cups vegetables (if using frozen veggies, thaw and drain prior to use)
• 1 to 2 tbsp gluten-free Worcestershire Sauce (optional)

• ½ stick margarine
• ½ cup gluten-free flour
• 1 cup of non-dairy creamer
• 3 cups hot chicken broth, from the simmering pot

In a 6 quart dutch oven, combine chicken stock, water, roasted chicken, celery, onion, bay leaves, chicken bullion, onion powder, allspice, pepper, garlic salt and roasted garlic. Heat over high heat until liquid starts to boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.

After simmering, remove soup from the stove and strain out the broth into a large bowl, (this is best done in your kitchen sink, making sure to pour away from yourself). Clean out your pot, removing any pieces of bone, and return clear broth to the pot. Add in your vegetables and bring to a low simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes.

While your vegetables are cooking it’s time to work on the chicken. When the chicken is cool enough handle, remove and discard the skin, bones, celery and onion. Shred chicken into bit size pieces and return chicken to the pot. Add in Worcestershire Sauce and stir thoroughly. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. note: At this point you have made my Mom’s Autumn Chicken Soup. To turn this into Chicken Pot Pie Soup, move on to the next step, the Roux. :)

Now it’s time to make the Roux. In a 2 quart pot, melt the soy margarine over medium heat. Once melted add in the flour while whisking frequently to combine. The mixture should become thick and almost gummy. Slowly add in the non-dairy creamer, ½ cup at a time, whisking constantly. Add in 1 cup of the hot chicken broth, ½ cup at a time, whisking constantly. The roux will have a thick gravy-like consistency.

Add in an the additional 2 cups of the chicken broth, 1 cup at a time until well blended. Slowly transfer the roux mixture back into the large pot of chicken soup. Stir well and allow to simmer for an additional 15 minutes.

Serve warm, topped with pie-crust bites.



Pie Crust Bites
by Laura Friendly’s Mom :)

• 1 ¼ cup gluten-free flour
• ½ tsp xanthan gum
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 stick cold soy margarine, cut into pieces
• 1 tbsp cold water

Combine flour, xanthan gum and salt and into a food processor. Pulse together for about 30 seconds. Add in margarine and water, pulse until all ingredients crumble together and firm into a ball like shape.

Transfer mixture into an air-tight container and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. On a non-stick surface, roll the dough out flat, to about ¼ inch thick. Using a cookie cutter or knife, cut the dough into 1 inch pieces. Place cutouts onto a non-stick baking sheet and bake in the center of a pre-heated oven until crust is lightly browned, about 8 to 10 minutes. Baking time may vary depending on your oven. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Autumn Chicken Soup

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving, filled with good food, laughter, family and friends. I was fortunate enough to have the week off, to relax, yoga and spend time with the people I care about. So my Thanksgiving was quite perfect. I even had the opportunity to do a little cooking with my Mom and the recipe I’m sharing today comes straight from her.

My Mom is a really great cook. She doesn’t often follow recipes or worry about measuring her ingredients, instead she does things by eye or by taste. Of the many different foods she has made over the years, her soups are my favorite. This soup, Autumn Chicken Soup, is based on my Great Grandma’s traditional Chicken Soup recipe. It’s been updated a bit with roasted chicken, GF Worcestershire and lots of colorful vegetables, but still has a very classic taste.

I think the true genius of this soup is using a pre-roasted chicken. It adds wonderful depth to the soup’s flavor plus it also speeds up the overall cooking time. The Worcestershire adds a nice kick and the variety of vegetables bring lots of texture and taste to each bit. This soup also serves as the perfect base for a creamy Chicken Pot Pie Soup, which I will share with you on my next blog post… But in the meantime I hope you enjoy this savory delight!

Autumn Chicken Soup
by Laura Friendly’s Mom ;)

Start to Finish: 1 hour and 15 minutes
makes about 12+ cups of soup

• 1 quart (4 cups) gluten-free chicken stock
• 1 quart (4 cups) water
• 1 whole pre-roasted chicken broken into 4 or 5 chunks, with bones and juice
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 2 med onions, sliced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 ½ tbsp gluten & dairy-free chicken bullion
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tsp allspice
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp garlic salt
• ½ tsp roasted garlic, minced (optional)

• 4 to 6 cups vegetables (if using frozen veggies, thaw and drain prior to use)
• 1 to 2 tbsp gluten-free Worcestershire Sauce (optional)

In a 6 quart dutch oven, combine chicken stock, water, roasted chicken, celery, onion, bay leaves, chicken bullion, onion powder, allspice, pepper, garlic salt and roasted garlic. Heat over high heat until liquid starts to boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.

After simmering, remove soup from the stove and strain out the broth into a large bowl, (this is best done in your kitchen sink, making sure to pour away from yourself). Clean out your pot, removing any pieces of bone, and return clear broth to the pot. Add in your vegetables and bring to a low simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes.

While your vegetables are cooking it’s time to work on the chicken. When the chicken is cool enough handle, remove and discard the skin, bones, celery and onion. Shred chicken into bit size pieces and return chicken to the pot. Add in Worcestershire Sauce and stir thoroughly. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste and serve over gluten-free pasta, rice or quinoa.