Healthy Old Broad

Healthy Baked Goods Recipes Made Without Gluten and Sugar

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

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While it is the season to party and consume rich fattening food here is a recipe to give you a very healthy food break. Great for a cold winter night meal.

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

Ingredients

  • 2 sweet chicken sausage (casing removed)
  • 6 chicken thighs cut into bite size pieces (of course you can use breast if you prefer) Salt & Pepper the chicken pieces.
  • 1 large yellow onion – finely chopped
  • 1 cup chopped carrots
  • 1 medium shallot – finely chopped
  • 1 yellow pepper – finely chopped
  • 7 cloves of garlic – finely chopped
  • 2 leeks – cleaned and finely chopped
  • 2 fennel heads – finely chopped
  • 7 Meyer or regular lemons (I like to use Meyer lemons when in season)
  • 1 top of the fennel fronds
  • 1 large sprig of fresh rosemary
  • several sprigs of fresh thyme (tied together with twine)
  • 2 quarts of low sodium vegetable broth (separated) *
  • 1 12oz DeLAllo gluten free orzo
  • 1 5oz bag Power Greens (baby kale, baby chard, baby spinach)
  • 1/2 bag frozen peas
  • olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  1. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a dutch oven, add chicken sausage meat and brown. Remove sausage to colander to drain. Add another tablespoon olive oil to dutch oven and add chicken pieces, saute to get color on the chicken, then remove and add to colander.
  2. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to dutch oven, add onion, carrots, pepper, shallots, leeks, salt and pepper and saute for about 5 minutes. Add fennel and cook for 3 to 5 minutes more. Add garlic and cook for another 3 minutes.
  3. Add the juice of the 7 lemons into the dutch oven and then add the peels, the fennel frond, rosemary and thyme and 1 quart of the vegetable broth. Add the chicken and sausage back into the pot, cover and simmer for 1 hour.
  4. Remove the fennel frond, lemon rinds, fresh herb stems.
  5. Add 2 cups of vegetable broth and the orzo, simmer for about 15 minutes (until orzo is tender)
  6. Add the peas and power greens to wilt and the remaining broth from second quart. When greens are wilted your are ready to enjoy. Garnish with the trimmings of the 2nd fennel frond.
  7. *NOTE: you might want to have additional broth on hand as the orzo will drink up more of the broth when the leftover soup is stored in the refrigerator, so when you reheat the leftovers you might want to add additional broth.

Orzo Vegetable Salad with Citrus Dressing

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It’s getting to be summer time and that usually means more salads to eat. This Orzo salad with citrus dressing is light, tasty and can be brought to a pool party or picnic without spoilage worries. It can be served as a vegetarian dish or add chicken sausage like I did. Not a fan of the veggies I put in this salad than add the veggies you and your family like best.

Orzo Vegetable Salad with Citrus Dressing

Dressing Ingredients:

  • 1 lime – zest and juice
  • 1 Meyer lemon – zest and juice
  • 1/2 orange – zest and juice
  • 2 garlic cloves – grated
  • 1 shallot – grated
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon whole grain Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon capers
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon – finely chopped
  • 1/3 cup white balsamic vinegar
  • 1 cup olive oil
  1. while the orzo pasta is cooking combine all the ingredients for the dressing and whisk together

Orzo Veggie Salad Ingredients:

  • 1- 12 oz Delallo Orzo
  • 1 package baby broccoli
  • 1 package chopped cauliflower
  • 4 Perisian cucumbers – chopped
  • 1 yellow pepper ( or your favorite color) – chopped
  • 1 jar Kalamata Olives
  • mini heirloom tomatoes – halved
  • salt and pepper
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • option: your favorite flavor of chicken sausage – cut into pieces
  1. Cook orzo per package instructions. When done, drain and rinse in cold water to start the cooling process. Transfer from strainer to large bowl and add about 1/2 cup of the salad dressing so the orzo can start absorbing it.
  2. In the pot where the orzo was cooked heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil, add the broccoli and cauliflower, salt & pepper and saute for 5 to7 minutes. Remove from pot and add to orzo bowl. Add chopped pepper, cukes, olive and tomatoes. Add additional dressing and toss all together.
  3. If you are adding the sausage, add about 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pot and saute for about 3 to 5 minutes then add to salad.

Seafood Soup with Orzo

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Everyone loves a good soup when the evenings are getting a bit brisk…this is one that if you like seafood you will enjoy this soup.

Seafood Soup with Orzo

Ingredients:

  • 1 large yellow onion – finely diced
  • 1 large carrot – finely diced
  • 1/2 c finely diced daikon (if you can’t find a daikon I would substitute with radishes)
  • 1 leek – cleaned and diced
  • 1 teaspoon dry basil + 1 teaspoon dry basil
  • 1 teaspoon dry thyme + 1 teaspoon dry thyme
  • 4 garlic cloves – finely chopped
  • 12 oz Delallo gluten free orzo
  • 1/2 lb fresh squid (body cut into rounds) **
  • 1/4 lb fresh scallops – cut into quarters
  • 1 fresh rockfish fillet – cut into bite size pieces
  • 1/2 lb fresh shrimp – deveined and halved
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 cup pinot grigio
  • 1 quart vegetable broth + extra in case needed
  • 2 – 8ox bottles clam juice
  • 3 tablespoon olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  1. In dutch oven heat olive oil, add onion, carrot, daikon, garlic and leek, lightly salt and sauté for about 5 minutes. Deglaze pan with 1/2 cup wine. Add dry orzo and sauté for about 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon basil and thyme, 1 bottle of clam juice and vegetable broth. Cook for approx. 11 minutes.
  2. Add fish, bay leaf,additional teaspoon for basil & thyme, 2nd bottle of claim juice,decide if you need to add more stock, salt & pepper to taste and simmer for about 12 minutes.
  3. Remove bay leaf and serve.
  4. **note: you can use any combination of fish you like.

Orzo Seafood Salad with Fennel Tarragon Dressing

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Finally found a brand of gluten free orzo and made this tasty seafood salad that is perfect for lunch or dinner.

Ingredients:

  • 1 – 12oz bag Delallo gluten free orzo
  • 1 fennel bulb – finely chopped
  • 2 medium shallots – finely chopped
  • 1 12oz bag baby spinach
  • 3 Persian cucumbers – chopped
  • 1 basket cherry tomatoes – halved
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 cup fresh tarragon
  • 1 large or 2 small lemons – zest and juice
  • 1 bag frozen mixed seafood (or any fish you prefer) – defrosted
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more if you like really spicy)
  • 1 avocado
  • 1 cup +5 to 6 tablespoons olive oil – separated
  • salt and pepper
  1. Cook the orzo per the package instructions.  When cooked al dente, run under cold water to cool down and stop the cooking.  Set aside.
  2. While the orzo is cooking, heat 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil, add 1/2 of the chopped fennel bulb and chopped shallots with a pinch of salt and saute for 3 to 5 minutes. Add the spinach with a pinch of salt and wilt down.  When spinach is wilted place in a strainer to drain and cool
  3. In a blender combine 1/4 chopped fennel, 1/2 cup fresh tarragon, 2 garlic cloves, lemon zest and juice, S&P and 1 cup of the olive oil and combine to make the dressing.
  4. In a bowl combine the orzo, spinach, cucumbers, tomatoes and dressing.
  5. In the same pan that was used to cook the spinach add 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 whole garlic clove, and pepper flakes to the oil while heating. Add the seafood combo lightly salted to the heated oil and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the cooked fish with a slotted spoon.
  6. Add the cooked seafood to the orzo spinach mixture. Add chopped avocado and garnish with fennel fronds.