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recipes the entire family can enjoy together!

20+ Vegetarian Thanksgiving Menu Recipes

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Stuffed Squash
It's time for my vegetarian Thanksgiving menu. Wow. Seriously? It's almost Thanksgiving? How on Earth did that happen? It was just Halloween. OK, OK, I can do this. I have green beans and mushrooms. I. Can. Do. This.

Wait...you need some help, too? Oh good, I'm not the only one. Here's a quick vegetarian Thanksgiving menu for you to use this year if you're like me and it snuck up on you.

Also, check out my tips on not going completely insane in the kitchen this Thanksgiving. Since we've got two weeks, you could stretch it out and have a rest day in between each prep day. We can do this.

I have to pre-explain one of my main dishes. And the one I'll for sure make this year. It's lasagna. Yes, I know it's probably not the one you'll make. You'll make the stuffed acorn squash maybe? It's cool, I understand. I might make that, too.

We'll have 10 people. We're even making a real turkey this year for the meatatarians. Gasp. But, growing up, we always had cheese lasagna. So, I'm nostalgic and I make it for most years. Sometimes with lentils or some sort of beefy stand-in, sometimes just good ole cheese.

It's odd. But to me, the first holiday lasagna of the year rings in the holiday season as nothing else will.

Vegetarian Thanksgiving Menu

Main Dish

Stuffed Acorn Squash 

Check out this great holiday centerpiece recipe, Vegan Stuffed Acorn Squash. It's filled with delicious quinoa, lentils and yummy spices for a true celebration of flavor.

Maple Glazed Turkey Roast 

Maple and Dijon mustard pair up in a delicious holiday glaze that is absolutely fabulous on this vegetarian "turkey" roast.

Lasagna 

Stay with me. This is our family tradition, I know, it's a little different. We do lasagna for Thanksgiving and Christmas because my sister and I became vegetarians in an era when it wasn't really a thing to have faux turkey in the grocery. So, my mom made delicious lasagna for us and we love it and now it's nostalgic and we still make it alongside the cool acorn squash fancy adult dishes.

Side Dishes

Butternut Squash Quinoa Stuffing 

A vegan, gluten-free Thanksgiving side that can hold its own as a main, Butternut Squash Quinoa Stuffing is filled with butternut squash, cranberries, and walnuts.

Fresh Green Bean Casserole

Hello! It's full of deliciousness and none of the junk. Homemade cream of mushroom soup, fresh green beans, and crunchy French fried onions. Bring on the big plates.

Best Cranberry Sauce Ever

Canned cranberry sauce is chock full of high fructose corn syrup and other nasty stuff. So make your own delicious homemade sauce!

Creamy Herb Mashed Potatoes

I use red potatoes along with cream cheese and herbs, but this recipe works great with creamers or goldens, too.

Sweet Potato Crisp 

Sweet potato crisp is a little creation of delicious sweet potato slices topped with a crumble of oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and butter.

Pea Salad

Just leave out the bacon or replace it with black forest bacon in this delicious blend of fresh peas, cheddar, red onion, and dressing.

Caramelized Brussels Sprouts 

This caramelized Brussels sprouts recipe made me an addict! And my daughter loves them, too. Yum! She calls them "Candy Cabbages." Cutie. 🙂

Vegan Sausage Balls

I'll be honest, I've never actually had real sausage balls and I didn't know they were a holiday treat until I started noticing the post was popular around Thanksgiving and Christmas. So, I asked around, and apparently it's a popular appetizer for holiday gatherings. I learned something from you guys visiting my site! 🙂 These tasty little vegetarian or vegan sausage balls are easy to whip up with Bisquick, (dairy-free) cheese and meatless crumbles. Give it a try.

Desserts

Pumpkin Custard 

Maybe you don't know this, but I LOVE pumpkin. My husband's not a huge fan. When he first tasted Paleo pumpkin custard, he went for seconds! Of pumpkin! HUGE hit!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pie 

Here is a tasty Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pie recipe for your family's dessert table that requires no can of evaporated milk. Win! If you have fresh pumpkin, you can make this pie with no can at all.

Paleo Sweet Potato Pecan Pie

This Paleo sweet potato pecan pie recipe is custardy, sweet, tasty, and has a cookie crumb/pecan crust that is absolutely perfect. Perfect for dessert or a snack!

Pumpkin Walnut Bread 

This is one of our all-time faves. Vegan Pumpkin Walnut Bread made moist through the inclusion of a can of coconut milk and you can make it either with or without the walnuts. Yum. I have the oven-baking and bread machine instructions for you. 

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins 

Oh my gosh. This is one of those recipes that I originally made way back in the early days of blogging and I sorta (gasp) forgot about it. I made them again recently for a scouts Halloween party and they are fabulous. We make them gluten-free, but you can make them with all-purpose flour if you like. And pumpkin cream cheese muffins are such an amazing surprise. I love bringing these to parties and seeing the joy on friends' faces. Plus, they're delicious!

Caribou-Poached Pears Recipe 

Caribou-poached pears are a delicious mixture of cranberry juice and fall spices. It's a dessert worthy of holiday dinners, but simple enough for every day.

Pumpkin Spice Latte Syrup

This syrup is fantastic, you guys. It's wonderful in lattes, cheesecake, ice cream. You need to make it for all the things. You definitely won't miss the store-bought kind once you make this syrup.

Leftover Meals

Thanksgiving Salad 

Thanksgiving salad is the perfect way to enjoy leftovers. After a day of culinary debauchery, we take a break and have our leftovers mixed into a green leafy salad.

'Turkey' Mac 

Vegetarian Turkey Mac and Cheese is a simple dish using leftover Turk'y Roast, carrots and roasted onions, with cheese and pumpkin puree for the sauce.

'Turkey' Sweet Potato Quesadillas 

Delicious turkey sweet potato quesadillas with sweet potatoes, onion and garlic. Serve them up with cranberry sauce as a dip for your post-holiday leftovers.

Stone Fruit Empanadas (made with cranberry sauce)

These are a real treat. Slide a pat of cream cheese in for an extra layer of fantastic flavor. 

Check out 40 Recipes for Thanksgiving Leftovers for more ideas!

You can use these ideas with vegetarian or meaty leftovers. Go for it!

Stuffed Squash

Stuffed Squash

Btrnut Quinoa Stuffing

Green Bean Casserole

Cranberry Sauce

Mashed Potatoes

Pumpkin Walnut Bread

The Super Easy Vegetarian Slow Cooker Cookbook

Want more vegetarian and vegan recipes you'll love? Check out my first cookbook! I'm so excited about it and I hope you'll love it. You can find more information about it right HERE. Or you can buy it through the Amazon link below.

Copycat Julius Paleo Kid-Friendly Orange Smoothies!

By

Copycat Orange Julius Smoothie | @VeggieConverter allergyfree paleo

We're falling in love with smoothies and both of my girls have long been addicted to all things orange. So these orange smoothies---an allergy-free kid-friendly Copycat Orange Julius recipe---were a massive hit at our house. It's an amazing treat for breakfast or after-school snack.

We used to make all of our smoothies with homemade yogurt. But since Goose's milk allergy developed, we make them with coconut milk. We make this version allergy-free with coconut milk and we make it in our high-powered blender, but it can easily be made in a standard blender if you don't have one of these lovely ladies. If you don't have allergies, feel free to make this with whole milk.

It tastes so much like the original (not that the girls have every had one) and we absolutely loved it, as did a few guests we had over. Try this delicious, creamy, fresh smoothie with your littles today.

Copycat Julius Orange Smoothies

Serves 5

Ingredients

1 cup coconut milk
15 ounces mandarin oranges
1 1/2 cups ice cubes
2 cups orange juice
2 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons gelatin powder (optional, for vegetarian/vegan try white matcha instead)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Method

Add all ingredients to blender and blend until smooth. Serve.

If you're not a gelatinarian like myself, you can use white matcha instead! It has amazing health benefits, too! It's loaded with antioxidants, tastes great, and it's detoxifying. It can also boost your immune system and help you burn calories, enhance concentration and increase your energy levels and endurance. Its flavor is much calmer than the green version and can blend into the flavor of your usual smoothies much more easily. Check it out: white matcha.

For 1 large serving (about 12 ounces) use these amounts:

1/3 cup coconut milk
5 ounces mandarin oranges
1/2 cup ice cubes
2/3 cup orange juice
2 teaspoons honey
1 tablespoon gelatin powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Love the recipe? Pin it, please!

Copycat Orange Julius Smoothie | @VeggieConverter allergyfree paleo

Related on VeggieConverter:

Banana Almond Butter Coconut Smoothies

All Natural Pink Lemonade Recipe

Homemade Fresh Limeade

Smoothies from My Friends:

Blueberry Pie Smoothies

Super K2 Smoothie

Peach Blueberry Cobbler Smoothies

I hope your kids enjoy smoothies as much as mine. What's your favorite smoothie recipe?

 

[yumprint-recipe id='1']Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

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Copycat Julius Paleo Kid-Friendly Orange Smoothies!
Author: 
Recipe type: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 5
 
You're going to love these copycat Orange Julius Paleo Kid-Friendly Smoothies made with oranges, coconut milk and super health gelatin!
Ingredients
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 15 ounces mandarin oranges
  • 1 1/2 cups ice cubes
  • 2 cups orange juice
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 3 tablespoons gelatin powder (optional, for vegetarian/vegan try white matcha instead)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Method
  1. Method
  2. Add all ingredients to blender and blend until smooth. Serve.
  3. If you're not a gelatinarian like myself, you can use white matcha instead! It has amazing health benefits, too! It's loaded with antioxidants, tastes great, and it's detoxifying. It can also boost your immune system and help you burn calories, enhance concentration and increase your energy levels and endurance. Its flavor is much calmer than the green version and can blend into the flavor of your usual smoothies much more easily. Check it out: white matcha.

 

Candy Bacon: Irresistible and Paleo!

By

Candy Bacon | @VeggieConverter paleo glutenfree

Do you love bacon? I do, I call it my gateway meat. It's the one meat I always liked.  We buy some amazing smoked bacon locally from Heywood's Provisions. It's incredible, they dry rub and smoke it over hickory. Yum!

Do you also love honey? This delicious oven-baked candy bacon combines honey granules with bacon and bakes it into candied bacon goodness. It is INCREDIBLE. You can leave the honey granules off and just bake your bacon this way for regular bacon, too. It is the best way to make extra crispy bacon, just the way I like it. Enjoy! [Read more...]

Bacon Carbonara

By

Bacon Carbonara | @VeggieConverter glutenfree

My husband, Mr. Meaty, makes a mean Bacon Carbonara. It's one of the first things he made me for dinner when we were dating. And it is delicious. Bacon has always been my meat weakness. And now that I'm a chicken-and-baconatarian, I am enjoying the flexibility of bacon. Since I'm unfortunately gluten-free as well, we had to come up with a noodles option for me. We went with flat rice noodles and it worked fabulously. The rest of the family has theirs with spaghetti noodles.

The crispy bacon, combined with the salty Parmesan and eggs really make this dish delicious. Enjoy! [Read more...]

Dairy-Free Snow Ice Cream!

By

Snow Ice Cream | @VeggieConverter

I LOVE snow ice cream. I lived in Denver when I was a kid and we had it many, many times a year. We absolutely LOVED it. And it was so simple. I think we used evaporated milk in our recipe. But, since Goose is dairy allergic and I'm off dairy due to health concerns (I'm trying a Paleo diet for my autoimmune condition), I need to make our snow ice cream dairy free for this amazing 3-inch snowfall in ATLANTA!

I still can't believe we could scoop 8 CUPS of snow off just the corner of our patio table. Awesome!

So, here it goes. It. Is. Delicious! If you're a snow ice cream virgin living in the South, you must try it. The kids will think you're so cool!

Snow Ice Cream

Serves 4

Ingredients

8 cups snow
1 cup coconut milk, chilled (I buy it here)
1/2 cup sucanat (or your preferred sweetener)
2 teaspoons vanilla

Method

Mix it all up and serve. Make sure whatever milk you use is cold! And if you use honey or any other liquid sweetener, you may want to increase your snow or reduce your milk to get the consistency right.

It turns out a bit like a shaved ice snow cone. The kids went absolutely insane for it. And the great news is, since it hasn't heated up as much as they suspected today, we may be able to have a couple more batches of deliciousness!

YUM! I hope you love this recipe as much as our family does. If you do, pin it, please!

Snow Ice Cream | @VeggieConverter

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Paleo Pumpkin Custard

By

Paleo Pumpkin Custard | @VeggieConverter

I'm making paleo pumpkin custard today because pumpkin season never has to end, am I right? Maybe you don't know this, but I LOVE pumpkin. My husband's not a huge fan. But when he tasted this, he went in for seconds! Of pumpkin! WHAT? So, I knew it was a hit. This Paleo Pumpkin Custard just really hits the spot and made the whole family happy.

And, in spite of pumpkin season being long over, we've made it twice since. Love, love, love it. And all the kids love it, too (ours and a friend's boys). It's so simple you won't believe it and it is incredibly delicious. Plus, since it's pretty much pumpkin pie without the crust and processed sugar, it's pretty healthy, too!

Enjoy!

Paleo Pumpkin Custard

Serves 12

Ingredients

30 ounces pumpkin puree
4 eggs
15 ounces full-fat coconut milk (or evaporated milk)
1 cup honey
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup sucanat
1/2 cup crushed pecans or walnuts (optional)

Method

Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit.

Put everything up to sea salt in your stand mixer and mix away!

Pour into ramekins (about 12, 6-ounce). Top with remaining ingredients.  Bake at 350 Fahrenheit about 30-40 minutes or until set and bruleed a bit on the top.

You can check with a knife if it comes out clean your custard is set.

The Results

This was an absolutely HUGE hit with guests, adults, and kids. I've made it twice more (once messing it up because I tried to thicken thin milk...sigh) and we just love it. What's your favorite dessert? Now that I can't have gluten and Goose can't have dairy, this fantastic pumpkin custard might just be mine!

If you love the recipe, Pin it, please!

Pumpkin Custard | @VeggieConverter

Save Print
Paleo Pumpkin Custard
Author: 
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 12
 
I'm making paleo pumpkin custard today because pumpkin season never has to end, am I right? Maybe you don't know this, but I LOVE pumpkin.
Ingredients
  • 30 ounces pumpkin puree
  • 4 eggs
  • 15 ounces full-fat coconut milk (or evaporated milk)
  • 1 cup honey
  • 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 cup sucanat
  • 1/2 cup crushed pecans or walnuts (optional)
Method
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  2. Put everything up to sea salt in your stand mixer and mix away!
  3. Pour into ramekins (about 12, 6-ounce). Top with remaining ingredients. Bake at 350 Fahrenheit about 30-40 minutes or until set and bruleed a bit on the top.
  4. You can check with a knife if it comes out clean your custard is set.

 

Game Day: 27 Healthy Game Day Snacks!

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Game Day Snacks

So, we know who is slated to play. But do you know what you're going to serve at your Big Game Party?? Well, you're in luck because I have a lot of awesome blogging friends with amazing snack recipes that are perfect for your Superbowl party! Check out these superbowl snacks.

Fill your party (or your family watch party) with healthy vegetarian or paleo/primal snacks this year to stay healthy and feeling great on the big game day! What are your favorite game day snacks? Here are 26 of my favorites. The most important part is to have fun and enjoy the game (or the commercials) so take it easy and make what you love!

 

Superbowl Snacks: Vegetarian

Avocado & Fig Salsa
White Pizza Dip
Babaganoush
Marinated Olives
Pesto Artichoke Dip
Zesty Marinated Olives
Loaded Guacamole
Easy Homemade Hummus
Garlic Cheesesticks
Vegan CrockPot Chili
Chickpea Nuggets
Texas Caviar

Superbowl Snacks: Primal/Paleo

Popcorn Chicken Nuggets
Buffalo Ranch Stuffed Peppers
Grain Free Creamy Buffalo Chicken Pie
Chicken Dippers
Orange Ginger Chicken Wings
Pineapple Bacon Poppers
Loaded Sweet Potato Bites
Kebabs & Cucumber Yogurt Dip
Buffalo Chicken Deviled Eggs
Boneless Buffalo Wings
Asian Meatballs
Bacon-Wrapped Green Beans
Atomic Buffalo Turds
Smoked Salmon Frittata
Bacon Cheddar Jalapeno Dip
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I hope these recipes are a hit for your family or your big party! Have fun and enjoy your treats (oh, and the game, too)!

Want more super bowl snack ideas? Check out my Game Day Pinterest Board!

 

healthy-game-day-snacks

Cumin Paleo Cauliflower Rice

By

Paleo Cauliflower Rice | VeggieConverter

While white rice is sometimes acceptable for Paleo(ish) diets, cauliflower rice  is really a go-to for those who want to stay totally grain free. I adapted this recipe a bit to suit our tastes. We <3 cumin. But you can really season it however you like! That's the beauty of this recipe.

Cauliflower is so good for you. And, for me, as long as it's cooked it's great in spite of my thyroid issues. If you hate cauliflower, try it roasted. Just like brussels sprouts, roasting brings out the cauliflower's sugars and makes it extra delicious!

Paleo Cumin Cauliflower 'Rice'

Ingredients

1 1/2 pound head cauliflower, broken into florets
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup vegetable or bone broth

Method

Shred florets in a food processor to turn them into a rice-like consistency.

Melt the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and seasonings. Cook for 5 minutes or until onion is tender.

Stir in cauliflower and broth. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, or until cauliflower is tender.

Serve.

This recipe is adapted from an eMeals.com recipe.

We had ours with our Paleo Coconut Orange Chicken and Roasted Brussels Sprouts.

Mr. Meaty and I loved the cauliflower rice but the kids poo-pooed it. They prefer their cauliflower raw or, if it's cooked, they like it roasted instead. Next time I might try roasting the cauliflower before making it into rice. I bet that would be fantastic!

 

Do you love this recipe? Pin it, please!

Paleo Cauliflower Rice | VeggieConverter

Bacony Bolognese & Zucchini Noodles

By

Bacony Zoodles Bolognese | @VeggieConverter

I’ve been experimenting with flexitarianism in an attempt to try out a Paleo diet, and eventually an Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) Paleo diet. So far, I've had success with chicken, and really crispy bacon. This recipe incorporates a new favorite of mine, zucchini noodles, and crispy bacon.

This recipe is adapted from an eMeals.com recipe.

It is fantastic. And the bacon was actually pretty tasty. The noodles were amazing and so much healthier than white flour noodles. Delicious. A definite winner and repeat.

Bacony Bolognese & Zucchini Noodles

Serves 4

Ingredients

1/2 pound bacon, chopped
4 carrots, minced
1 small red onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup red wine
28 ounces diced tomatoes
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 1/2 pounds small zucchini
3 tablespoons  olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped shallot
salt and pepper, to taste

Method

Cook chopped bacon in a deep skillet medium heat until crisp; drain, reserving  drippings in pan. Saute carrots, onion and garlic in hot drippings until tender. Stir occasionally. Add wine, tomatoes, salt and pepper.  Bring to a simmer; cook 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add coconut milk; return to a simmer, and cook 10 minutes. Sprinkle with bacon.

Turn zucchini into noodles with a spiralizer or julienne peeler. Combine oil, lemon juice, shallot, salt and pepper in a large bowl; add zucchini, and toss to coat. Let stand at least 10 minutes before serving. I started out with the peeler when I wasn't sure we would all love these zoodles and then I upgraded to the spiralizer once we were sure we all went crazy for them. It's much easier and definitely worth the extra bucks if you're going to make zoodles regularly.

Serve Zucchini "Pasta” with Bacon Bolognese.

We absolutely LOVED this recipe. A definite repeat. The kids were also HUGE fans. Delicious!

Love it? Pin it, please!

Bacony Zoodles Bolognese | @VeggieConverter

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Coconut Orange Paleo Chicken

By

Coconut-Chicken

Coconut orange paleo chicken turned out pretty well for something we made on a whim. The girls and I made this dinner for my parents and the chicken was a huge hit. The girls loved the chicken, but not the sauce. Mr. Meaty felt the same. (He's not a coconut fan.) Everyone else liked it all together. I was a big fan of the sauce, myself. I love coconut and almonds. It went deliciously with our Candy Cabbages (caramelized brussels sprouts).

If you like chicken (especially paleo chicken), try this recipe.

If not, try a vegetarian version with chickpea cutlets.

Coconut Orange Paleo Chicken

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 cup sliced almonds (optional)
6 boneless chicken breasts
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon cumin
3 tablespoons coconut oil
1 1/2 cups coconut cream
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon deli mustard

Method

Toast almonds in a pan and set aside.
Place chicken breasts between sheets of plastic wrap and beat with a meat mallet to flatten to about 1/4-inch thickness.

Sprinkle chicken on both sides with garlic, salt, and cumin.

Melt half of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the chicken (or as much will fit in your pan) and cook two minutes per side, until golden. Repeat with remaining chicken and oil.

Reduce heat to medium, add remaining ingredients and stir well. Add chicken, sprinkle with almonds and cook for about 8 minutes or until sauce thickens. (We left several of the chicken breasts plain for the kids.)

This was great! It's a definite repeat and it fits our new diet really well. Goose doesn't get any dairy or nightshades and I don't get anything that messes with my autoimmune disorder. 🙂 Love it.

Do you love it, too? Then Pin it, please.

Paleo Coconut Orange Chicken | VeggieConverter

Recipe adapted from eMeals, get 15% Off Use code Dinner15

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Save Print
Coconut Orange Paleo Chicken
Author: 
Recipe type: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 6
 
This Coconut Orange Paleo Chicken is a great family recipe for those with allergies and food issues. Plus, it's amazing! Enjoy a super tasty family meal.
Ingredients
  • 1 cup sliced almonds (optional)
  • 6 boneless chicken breasts
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 3 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 1 1/2 cups coconut cream
  • 1/4 cup orange juice
  • 1 tablespoon deli mustard
Method
  1. Toast almonds in a pan and set aside.
  2. Place chicken breasts between sheets of plastic wrap and beat with a meat mallet to flatten to about 1/4-inch thickness.
  3. Sprinkle chicken on both sides with garlic, salt, and cumin.
  4. Melt half of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the chicken (or as much will fit in your pan) and cook two minutes per side, until golden. Repeat with remaining chicken and oil.
  5. Reduce heat to medium, add remaining ingredients and stir well. Add chicken, sprinkle with almonds and cook for about 8 minutes or until sauce thickens. (We left several of the chicken breasts plain for the kids.)

 

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