Easy Rice & Broccoli

        This is one of my favorite go-to side dish recipes. We have all made a box of 'Rice-A-Roni' in our lives. Easy 15 minute side dish recipe to have in your pantry. Now it's surprising, but making a savory gluten-free rice side dish from scratch is just as easy. Plus you can add any kind of veggies you like.

Ingredients:
1 cup of uncooked white rice
3 cups of water
4 tablespoons or 1 bouillon cube* (Chicken, beef or vegetable flavor)
2 tablespoons of garlic powder
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup frozen veggies (Broccoli, green beans, spinach)

Heat oil in a pan that has a lid
Add rice

Stir & brown the rice,

Then add the water and seasonings

Taste the broth to make sure it has enough flavor

Then add the vegetables of your choice

I used Broccoli and French Style green beans, the vegetables get so tender and full of flavor you don't even notice you are eating them. Perfect for those picky eaters.

Bring to boil, cover & reduce to a simmer. 

Set your timer for 15 minutes. DO NOT OPEN until the time is up.

Easy side dish with ingredients you can always have on hand & no added preservatives or weird ingredients that you might get from a box mix. Just as easy, twice as delicious.

(Pictured with Rotisserie chicken from the supermarket, steamed baby carrots & corn) 

Try it once & you will be sold.

*Make sure the bouillon you use is gluten-free. I use Knorr Chicken flavored bouillon without any problems. I've also made this recipe with organic gluten-free beef broth instead of water with equally as flavorful results.

gluten-free spicy chicken sandwich

        I used to love stopping at a drive-thru and grabbing a spicy chicken sandwich on my way home from school. I haven't had one in about two years. I forgot about them when I started making gluten-free versions of my favorite foods.

Ore-Ida makes gluten-free frozen french fries, but I made some steak fries from good ole Russet Potatoes, tossed in oil, salt, pepper & garlic powder. Baked in a 400 degree oven for 20-35 minutes depending on how thin you cut your potatoes and how hot your oven gets.

For my spicy chicken I used

Boneless Skinless Chicken tenderloins

Tapatio hot sauce

Rice Chex cereal

Instant mashed potato flakes

Salt, pepper & garlic powder

I marinated the uncooked chicken tenders in hot sauce & water. I like using the tenders because they are small and easy because you don't have to clean them or cut them into more manageable pieces.

I crushed the cereal and mixed it with potato flakes and seasonings in a large ziploc bag. One by one I added a piece of chicken to the bag to shake and coat with my "breading".

In a parchment lined baking dish, I placed the breaded chicken & put in a 400 degree oven for 30-40 minutes, flipping halfway through. When the chicken is golden-brown, remove from oven.

Lettuce, tomato, mayo on my gluten-free roll, I had the best chicken sandwich of my life.

       

ultimate breakfast grilled cheese

        I love breakfast. I love eggs, I love bacon, I love grilled cheese. Some might think that being allergic to gluten and dairy would mean never getting to enjoy a grilled cheese again..but where there is a will, there is a way.

There are loaves of gluten free bread you can get at your specialty grocery store.

I toasted my bread, melted some Almond cheddar cheese on each side. 

Added my bacon and omelette style egg. Buttered the outside with this spread, sprinkled a little garlic powder and grilled it in a sautee pan.

Best breakfast ever.

And gluten-free & dairy-free.

You can't get that in a drive-thru.

poor man's stew

        This is an adaptation of a recipe my mom used to make when I was growing up. I added a few more vegetables, but it's still delicious and easy.

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
3 to 4 medium sized whole carrots
6-8 medium russet potatoes
1/2 green bell pepper
1/4 cup frozen spinach
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels 
1 clove garlic, minced
salt
pepper
garlic powder
italian seasonings
caldo de pollo
water

First I started by browning the ground beef with salt, pepper & garlic powder. Then I added the bell pepper, and diced potatoes..to make sure the potatoes get that meaty flavor.

Then I started boiling some water that I seasoned with caldo de pollo, (chicken bouillons, or chicken stock would also work). I added the carrots to that water. After the carrots boiled, I added the cooked meat, potatoes, bell pepper and frozen corn & spinach. I seasoned the broth to taste, and waited a few minutes for the flavors to all come together.

Delicious served as soup or with gluten-free corn tortillas & re-fried beans.

This is so easy and so worth a try. One of those home-y, rib sticking meals that nothing can compare to..

DIY: gluten-free lunchable

        Gluten-free living can be extremely rewarding though it definitely lacks convenience. Especially for those with Celiac disease or severe gluten allergies. I had a great idea to make my own gluten-free lunch-able type snack. 

Ingredients:
Glutino crackers
Gluten-free pizza sauce*
Gluten-free pepperonis
String Cheese

I thought this would be the cutest lunch for a kid with a juice box and an apple.

& You could even pack dairy-free cheese & ham.

I love recipe ideas that are so versatile.

I miss lunchables and I am an adult..can't imagine what it would be like if I were 11. Food allergies are not fair, so I hope this helps anyone that feels left out.

*I used Ragu pizza sauce
& Hormel pepperonis

but ingredients change all the time so please double check your gluten-free products.

copycat bottled 'frapp' recipe

        I used to love getting those super sweet iced coffee  bottled frappuccino drinks, being lactose intolerant I can't indulge anymore. I finally figured out how to make a dairy-free one that is just as good!

Dairy free iced coffee recipe
1/4 cup coffee
1 cup Original or Vanilla Almond milk
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 teaspoon gluten-free Caramel syrup
ice

Stir sugar into coffee until it dissolves, add milk and ice. Top with caramel syrup.

easy shredded beef-crockpot recipe

        One of my favorite crock-pot recipes is this shredded beef. It's so easy, great for entertaining, and so versatile. I use chuck roast, and it's as easy as setting it in the crock pot, seasoning liberally with salt, pepper and garlic powder. A little water and six to eight hours later (in my crockpot on low) a delicious meal! Pictured above, I added some red potatoes and carrots before the last hour. The corn, I steamed for another flavor & texture side dish. 
        The next day I reheated the leftover meat in a pan with a little oil, and water and seasoned with a little red pepper flakes and added some sliced bell pepper for shredded beef quesadillas.

        This meal is as delicious as it is easy. I really recommend trying it. It's a great gluten-free meal, the meat can be used for tacos, served with rice and beans. Great filling for taquitos, enchiladas, even with BBQ sauce on a sandwich with some pickles. YUM. The best part, Chuck roast is a really inexpensive cut of meat so you can make this once a week!