Every home cook needs a few reliable quick chicken recipes to put on the table.

If you like chicken tenderloins, consider trying this simple recipe for Salsa-Baked Chicken Tenders.

Any salsa will do, but the flavor of the tomatillos in salsa verde always works especially well with chicken.

Salsa-Baked Chicken Tenders

• 1 pound fresh chicken breast tenderloins
• 1 cup salsa verde, or other salsa

Method: Preheat oven to 375°F.

Put the chicken tenderloins in a greased 9-inch baking dish.

Pour the salsa over the chicken and make sure all pieces are well coated.

Bake tenderloins 15 to 25 minutes, or until juices run clear when thickest part of chicken is pierced and temperature on instant read thermometer reaches 170°F.

Maple Bacon Pretzels from Vibrant Flavors

Dairy free snacking can be challenging since whey protein (one of the two major proteins found in dairy milk) is added to many seemingly dairy free items. I’ve found it in everything from taco seasoning to whole wheat bread! Luckily, Fooducopia has some of the finest of dairy free snacks around.

Satisfy your need for a salty snack with the Nutty Bean Company’s roasted Chick Pz Sampler Pack. With flavors like Tuscan Garlic & Herb, Sweet & Spicy Chipotle, and Sesame Crunch, chickpeas take on a whole new taste…. and place in the kitchen!

Pretzel lovers rejoice, Vibrant Flavors has created dairy free and all natural pretzels with dukkah— a unique blend of hazelnuts, sesame seeds, peanuts, and spices. Try the Barbeque Pretzels as an afternoon snack or serve the Maple Bacon variety at your next party. Read More →

What should you consider when choosing pesto sauce?  I mean, what really makes for great pesto in the first place?

My first concern is always going to be flavor-related.  While I love traditional basil-pine nut pesto, I get more excited about recipes that offer a little heat, or a creative flavor combination like artichoke and lemon.  Before I choose the most enticing variety, though, I always check the label to make sure the ingredients are all-natural.  Is the list limited to yummy-sounding things basil, Parmesan  pine nuts, and garlic, or littered with strange thickeners, food dyes, and chemical-sounding words?  Obviously, I avoid the latter. Read More →

Known for its pungent aroma and bold flavor, garlic has been used in cuisines across the globe for over 7000 years. As with many foods though, its flavor is not its only appeal. The ancient Egyptians were keen to the medicinal uses of garlic and the modern scientific community has refined those properties even further.

Antibacterial & Antifungal Uses

Throughout history garlic has been used to prevent infections and, perhaps most famously, was used during both world wars to prevent gangrene. Allicin and ajoene are the components of garlic that take the credit for garlic’s long list of antimicrobial uses. Used for the treatment of skin infections such as ringworm and athlete’s foot, some common digestive parasites, and in certain fungal infections, garlic is the perfect go-to home remedy for a number of common ailments.

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It only makes sense that the best gluten-free pasta would come from an “Intolerant Italian.”

Well, actually her name is Roxanne Riccardi, and she handmakes gluten-free, soy-free, and lactose-free specialty pastas in Durango, CO.

Roxanne started making gluten-free pastas after her mom, who first found out about her gluten intolerance, told her how much she missed good pasta.

After trying some of the gluten-free pastas her mom had bought, Roxanne could understand why — especially after her mom made a baked pasta dish, and all the “pasta” dissolved!

Discovering she was also gluten intolerant intensified Roxanne’s determination to create better tasting gluten-free pasta even more.

She now offers dried gluten-free pastas that stand up to regular varieties. Read More →

I am finding myself busier these days, and therefore all the more interested in recipes that are truly both speedy and delicious.  It’s hard to find both, right?

But this one is legit.  I am not the fastest chopper in the world, and even I can have this wonderful pasta sauce simmering on the stove in less than ten minutes.  The smell of good home cookin’ is just a few ingredients away–try it tonight!  Consider doubling the batch and freezing it to save yourself even more time next week.  Now that’s good food fast. Read More →

Kombucha, the fermented tea drink that has become wildly popular in the US over the last decade, is slowly but surely making its way into kitchens across the country too.  Vendors like Kombuchick, have made DIY versions tasty, simple, and fun!  Their team of herbalist consultants has taken the guesswork out of flavoring by creating the best blends available for fermentation. Read More →

Without a good gluten-free snack on hand, when hunger strikes, chances are you’re much more likely to take a risk on something you know you shouldn’t eat.

If you have Celiac disease or a serious gluten intolerance, come on — you know better than that!

With the following gluten-free snacks, you’ll learn to feel better too. Keep a couple of these stashed in your car, desk, pocket, or purse, and you’ll be turning down questionable snack offers right and left.

Here are Fooducopia’s picks for 7 of the Best Gluten-Free Snacks:

Cinnamon Applez: Dried fruit is an obvious choice for gluten-free snackers. What’s great about this product by Nature’z Candyz is the lack of added sweeteners or preservatives. Skin-on apple slices sprinkled with cinnamon and dried into snack-worthy perfection — that’s all, and we think you’ll agree that it’s more than enough!

Spiced Cocoa Almonds: Nuts — another clear winner for those of us avoiding gluten. The Well-Dressed Nut makes good on its brand name with these Spiced Cocoa Almonds, a definite upgrade from the raw nuts you often have to opt for due to gluten-filled food additives.

They’re also a nice option for satisfying a chocolate craving. Fresh almonds, glazed in Valrhona dark chocolate cocoa powder, warmed with cinnamon and chile, and slow roasted in small batches — this snack is not too sweet with just the right amount of spice and crunch. Read More →

You are probably throwing away the main ingredient in speedy homemade chicken stock:  the bones.  Stop doing that!  If you ever serve roasted chicken, or carve meat from chicken thighs, legs, or wings, then you have what you need. You should try this great recipe instead.

I love brewing up my own chicken stock.  For years, I was deterred by recipes calling for hours of simmering and complicated skimming procedures.  It sounded like I was going to need a bandanna and a frilly apron and way more time than I have.  Then, I came across this super-easy recipe during a “Knife Skills and Chicken” class.  (Now, doesn’t that sound fun?) It was easy, it smelled great, and I’ve been using it successfully ever since.  With a little planning ahead, you can make 2 quarts of healthy, aromatic, sodium-free chicken stock in an hour.  It freezes perfectly, so you can double the recipe if you like.

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Let’s be honest: whether you’re a bachelor who barely eats at home, a mom who smiles at the faces of a hungry crowd, or someone with habits in-between, we can all use a reliable pre-made spaghetti sauce sometimes.

Finding the best spaghetti sauce in a jar, however, can be an elusive quest.

The national brands you see at most grocery chains usually have a problem either in the quality or the taste department.

But with a little advanced planning and not a lot more cash, you can really turn this sad scenario around and reach into your pantry with confidence on a busy night. Read More →