Gluten-free chili!

I've been wanting to make Chili for awhile. 
This weekend seemed an opportune time. Nice, chilly (get it?)  weather and Sunday night football. Since I made this on a whim I had to use the ingredients in my pantry:

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1 can white beans (rinsed)
1 can diced hunt tomatoes
1 can black beans (rinsed)
3/4 cup chicken stock
1 clove garlic (diced)
1 small pickled jalapeno (diced)
1/2 small green bell pepper (diced)
salt
pepper
garlic powder
red chili flakes
1 Tbsp Taco-Seasoning

shredded cheddar garnish (optional)

I began by browning my ground beef in a dutch oven, seasoned with garlic powder, and taco seasoning. Then added in my diced bell pepper and fresh garlic, before the meat finished cooking completely. I then added tomatoes, jalapenos, and both kinds of beans. I seasoned everything with salt, pepper, chili flakes. finally I added the chicken stock, brought it to a boil and reduced to a simmer. I covered it and let the broth reduce while I made some corn muffins using Pamela's Cornbread mix. 

It came out better than I could've imagined, and way easier to make than I would have thought. Hope you try it!

Daily Gluten-free Menu--best pizza crust ever

It has come to my attention how neglected my blog has been this year. I've been so busy getting back on track with my education, and fawning over my amazing nephew, helping with his 4th birthday this summer. 

Being busy and living a gluten-free life is a bit challenging as it takes planning and dedication. Those of us with Celiac do not have the luxury of grabbing fast food on the way home. I wanted to do an experiment where I documented my average meals through the week.

Here's what my breakfasts tend to look like:

Ore Ida tater tots are a staple. There are always some in my freezer.

  

PB&J on Udi's with raisins and coffee

 Biscuits and gravy made with 1-2-3 biscuit mix. I season and brown ground beef & make a quick dairy free gravy with Almond milk, Chicken Stock, salt, pepper, garlic, thyme and thicken with instant mashed potatoe flakes.

Bacon, egg, tots, Udi's toast

Lunches:

 Turkey Sandwich on Udi's multigrain

Leftover Pizza. Recipe at the end. I couldn't wait to share it.

This lunch was something I threw together because we needed groceries. It's a hot dog I grilled outside and a quick broccoli mac and cheese with corn pasta. I made the sauce with a couple of Go Veggie mozzarella slices, almond milk, butter, and salt, pepper, garlic powder. It was actually tasty.

 This was a lunch I forced myself to eat when I was really under the weather. Another turkey sandwich on Udi's and a bowl of Progresso Chicken & Rice soup.

 Dinner:

Rather tasty burger on Udi's bun & Ore Ida crinkle fries

 Pasta with homemade ground beef red sauce, steamed carrots and corn. Plus a side of garlic toast.

 Roast Chicken, steamed carrots, green beans, and my easy broccoli rice

 This is my new favorite pizza. I'm obsessed. I adapted a couple of recipes & I am in love.

Pizza Crust Recipe:

What you need:

2 tsp yeast

1 tsp sugar

3/4 cup warm water

1 egg

1 Tbsp canola oil (olive oil or vegetable are ok)

1 1/2 cups GF all purpose flour 

1/2 tsp salt 

1 tsp baking powder

(Optional):

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tsp parsley or Italian seasoning blend

Directions:

1.) add yeast and sugar to the warm water and let stand for at least 5 minutes.

2.) mix egg and oil in a large bowl. Preheat oven to 425' Fahrenheit.

3.) Add flour, baking powder and salt. Mix and add the now frothy yeast/ water mixture.

4.) Spread onto parchment covered (or greased) cookie sheet or pizza pan. 

5.) Bake for five minutes.

6.) Remove from oven, add toppings and bake for another 8-10 minutes.

This crust is heaven. It's a little chewy, a little crispy, a lot delicious. 

Chicken Pot Pie: Gluten-free & Dairy Free

        Baking is an art. When you see a fresh baked croissant it is breath-taking. For me, Gluten-free baking is like trying to recreate some beautiful painting on a post it with crayons. You aren't going to get the same effect. There are some people who can magically use seven different types of flour, starches and gums to create something pretty great. But I am not one of them. So I turn to my trusty Glutino Bread Mix. I mix according to package directions, sometimes adding a touch of garlic powder. Let that dough rise and spread it on my lovely pot pie filling.

  Ingredients:
1 box Glutino Gluten-free Pantry 'My Favorite Sandwich' Mix
1 bag frozen mixed vegetables
6-8 medium russet potatoes cubed
1 rotisserie chicken cut into small pieces
3 cups chicken broth (plus a little extra)
4 stalks of celery diced
Garlic powder
Salt
Pepper Italian Seasoning
1/4 cup instant mashed potato flakes *

1.) Prep work: Dice celery, defrost veggies(I use a microwave steamer), Then peel and dice the potatoes.
2.) Boil water, add the potatoes to the water. Add salt.

3.) Cook potatoes, 4-7 minutes. Drain the potatoes when cooked but not too tender.

4.) In another pot, bring the chicken broth to a boil, season it. About 1/2 teaspoon of salt & pepper. 2-4 tablespoons of garlic powder and a 1/2-1 teaspoon of Italian season. Taste! Adjust if you feel like it needs more flavor add a little more Italian seasoning or salt.

5.) Slowly incorporate instant potato flakes to the Chicken broth, this is going to thicken your sauce and add the "creamy" factor for your pie filling.

*You may need more or less potato flakes

(My photo looks a little dry, but it wasn't.)

6.) Spray your baking dish and add the chicken, potatoes and veggies. Season with a little pepper and garlic powder.

7.) Pour your chicken broth over and stir to combine.

8.) If it looks dry, I recommend adding a little chicken broth. Depending on the size of your potatoes & amount of chicken (Supermarket rotisserie chickens sometimes are huge & other times look like Cornish game hens). 

9.) Finally spread your bread dough evenly over your pot pie. If you have extra dough, great opportunity to make some drop rolls on a separate baking sheet.

10.) 375 preheated oven for 18-30 minutes or until slightly golden brown & Enjoy!

This usually makes two 11 X 8 sized chicken pot pies.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Easy, delicious and tummy warming in a way that only chicken soup can.

Serves 5-6 adults

Ingredients:
3 or 4 medium Zucchini / Squash
5 stalks of celery
4 whole carrots
1/4 cup frozen corn
5 or 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 cup chicken broth
garlic powder
salt
pepper
red pepper flakes

I boil the chicken in water and chicken broth for 1 hour and 30 minutes, I then add my diced celery. I let the celery cook for about 20 minutes and then add my diced carrots and crescent shaped zucchini and squash. You really can add whatever vegetables you like or have on hand. I season the liquid with garlic powder, salt and pepper and red pepper flakes depending on how spicy I want it.
Taste! So important to make sure the broth has enough flavor, since it will be giving all your veggies flavor. I might put 4 or 5 tablespoons of garlic, don't be shy. The more flavor, the better! Let it simmer until the carrots and zucchini are tender and add the corn in the last minutes.

I serve mine with warm gluten-free corn tortillas or quesadillas with pepperjack cheese over rice.

garnish with lime wedges or avocado chunks.

There's nothing like home-made soup.

Recipe for Mexican Rice:

1 cup of rice

1 8 ounce can of tomato sauce
Vegetable oil
2 1/2 cups of water
Salt, 1 teaspoon
Pepper, 1 teaspoon 
Garlic powder, 1 teaspoon
Chicken bouillon, 1 tablespoon


Heat oil in a shallow sauce pan that has a lid, add rice and brown the rice on high or medium heat. Once the rice starts to brown, turn off the stove. Add tomato sauce, water and spices, turn stove back on and bring to a boil, reduce to simmer. Cover for fifteen minutes. DO NOT OPEN the lid until the time is up. 

Gluten-Free Copy Cat Double Decker tacos

        While I love my new life of being healthy and eating only home-cooked meals. (I have Celiac and haven't eaten out in 2 years). I miss fast food. I admit it. Not just the convenience, but it's the forbidden fruit. I know I can't have it, so I crave it sometimes. (Anyone who has been on a diet knows this). 

        Here's my GF version of a double decker taco.

What you need:

Crunchy Taco Shells

Gluten-Free Flour Tortillas*

Refried beans

Dairy-free cheese 

Recipe for Ground Beef:

1 pound ground beefDiced green bell pepper
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder 
Red pepper flakes
Taco Sauce

Brown the Ground beef in a shallow skillet, no need to add oil if you use a 80/20 blend. Season well with garlic powder, salt & pepper. Add red pepper flakes and gluten-free taco sauce to taste. When the meat is mostly browned, you can add the diced bell pepper.

Optional Toppings:

Avocado slices

Jalapeno slices

Lettuce

Tomato

Shredded cheese

I defrost my flour tortilla in the microwave for 10 seconds or so, I then heat the tortilla on my cast iron comal griddle to cook it through. Spread with beans & cheese and then add your crunchy taco shell. Fill with meat and the toppings you like and it's better than any drive thru.

*Udi's Gluten-free flour tortillas are what makes this so delicious, I know there might be other brands of tortilla but this is the best I've tried.

Serve with Rice

Recipe for Mexican Rice:

1 cup of rice
1 8 ounce can of tomato sauce
Vegetable oil
2 1/2 cups of water
Salt, 1 teaspoon
Pepper, 1 teaspoon 
Garlic powder, 1 teaspoon
Chicken bouillon, 1 tablespoon


Heat oil in a shallow sauce pan that has a lid, add rice and brown the rice on high or medium heat. Once the rice starts to brown, turn off the stove. Add tomato sauce, water and spices, turn stove back on and bring to a boil, reduce to simmer. Cover for fifteen minutes. DO NOT OPEN the lid until the time is up. 
Voila! 
Perfect Mexican rice, my mom's recipe and probably my all-time favorite side-dish.

Gluten-free Orange Chicken

Yes, it is possible. And Yes, it is delicious. 

        I gave up gluten & eating out almost two years ago & my goal was to recreate Chinese food. I looked at a lot of different recipes and kind of adapted it to suit my taste and allergy needs. I toned down the sweetness by adding fresh minced garlic & red pepper flakes. That's the beauty of cooking at home. If you love Kung Pao chicken but it's a little on the spicy side you can adjust the heat for your taste when you make it yourself.

 Ingredients

Boneless skinless chicken (breast or thighs)
Instant Mashed Potatoes
Vegetable or Olive oil
Orange juice
Gluten free Soy sauce (San-J Organic Gluten-Free Tamari)
Orange marmalade 
Minced garlic
Red Pepper Flakes
Garlic powder 
Salt
Pepper

Directions:
1.) I cut up all the chicken into quarter size pieces, some thinner than others so they get very crispy. I season them with salt, pepper & garlic powder. I then toss them in a freezer size ziploc bag with some instant potato flakes. (This works as an amazing crust & it's gluten-free)

2.) Heat my pan with enough oil to coat the bottom, the small pieces work well with a shallow fry. 

3.) After all the chicken is golden brown, I place them on paper towels & drain the oil from the pan. I add 3/4 cup of orange juice for every 2 chicken breast.

4.)About a teaspoon of minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper flakes, 1/4 cup soy sauce & a teaspoon of orange marmalade. Let this simmer & add a teaspoon of potato flakes to thicken the sauce. 

5.)Add in the chicken & some bell peppers to serve over white rice with veggies.

I was so happy with how this turned out. I no longer feel deprived & I highly recommend it to anyone who would like to try to make takeout at home.

My Gluten-Free Product Awards

        Trying new gluten-free products is scary. You never want it to taste gluten-free because those of us with food allergies just want to feel normal. These are my recommendations of gluten-free products I have personally tried & loved.

        Pancakes

        I have tried quite a few pancake mixes and most have tasted like gluten-free pancakes. Not really what you want, especially when you are spending three times as much as you would on non-gluten free pancake mix.

My favorites have been Pamela's Baking & Pancake Mix &  Bisquick Gluten-Free.

   *If you do try a different brand and it's not great, you can always add applesauce or a mashed banana to improve the flavor. I've even added a teaspoon of GF vanilla extract or pumpkin pie spice. It makes a big difference.

Frozen Dinners

        Since most frozen dinners, gluten-free or not aren't very tasty.I have only tried a handful of frozen gluten-free entrees because they are expensive and a really big gamble with odds being that they won't taste good. 
The winner: Glutino Chicken pizza with BBQ sauce. I'm not traditionally a fan of BBQ chicken pizzas but this one was surprisingly really tasty.

Bagels

        Udi's Gluten-free takes the award for best bagel. Their whole grain & cinnamon raisin were so delicious I literally checked the bag a few times to ensure that they were in fact Gluten-Free.

   *I use a toaster oven to defrost my bagels/bread. I've found that this is the best method. Once on the toaster oven to defrost it & twice to toast it. I've used the bagels for a cheeseburger and it held up great to all my toppings. Better than a regular hamburger bun.

        Chips

        Most plain wavy chips or tortilla chips will say gluten-free on them. I've found that Lays Stax have a few flavored potato chips that are gluten-free but Glutino BBQ chips have been my favorite. I almost ate the entire bag. They had the perfect amount of flavor and were not salty or greasy.

Tortillas

        Finally the last award, was something I have tried to make myself and tried another brand. I had no hope for gluten-free flour tortillas & then there were Udi's Gluten-free Tortillas. They taste even more like home-made flour tortillas than regular store-bought ones. I have nothing but positive things to say about them.

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'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.

Ingredients:
Chuck Roast (Boneless or Bone-in)
Salt 
Pepper 
Granulated garlic powder

Season your meat, put in slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours.

That's it!         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!

gluten-free living

        I have been gluten-free for a year and one month now, and I am STILL learning. Changing to a gluten-free lifestyle was a little bit of a transition but the reward for how I feel is more than I could have imagined. When you feel bad for so long you forget what it's like to feel healthy. I now understand the phrase, 'you get back what you put in'. In regards to the food I am eating now and how I feel after.

       But I still make mistakes. I am lucky enough to have a gluten-free home, not in any danger of getting cross-contaminated with crumbs from my brother eating pop tarts or hamburger buns when we have a party. Our house is a no-gluten zone, even though I am the only one with allergies. And I have still gotten 'glutened' simply by being careless, or assuming that something is safe, even just checking the ingredients and thinking it's safe because it does not say "contains:wheat".
        Yesterday I changed my face wash, toothpaste and mouthwash. I was using St. Ives and the website says contains wheat protein. I always wash my face when I wake up and it's scary to think I could have had traces of that on my hands while making my breakfast. I had previously checked my toothpaste and the website said gluten-free but I had a closer look and it says cannot guarantee that there are no traces of gluten.
      My biggest piece of advice to people with gluten allergies, is to eat out as little as possible. I've worked in restaurants, and if the staff is ignorant of the severity of food allergies (I was), they may make small mistakes and you can EASILY get cross-contaminated. Nothing gross or anything, but if it's a busy night and they send the wrong food to the wrong table, it happens all the time. You might think you're eating gluten-free pasta but how would you know for sure?

      If you plan to eat at a restaurant, choose one with a gluten-free menu (the staff is a little more knowledgeable), don't pick a very busy night, and call ahead. You don't have to be specific about who you are, just talk to a manager and say you were planning on coming in soon and you want to make sure that they take food safety seriously, and are careful about cross contamination. The manager will probably have a talk with the staff that day and pay extra attention to make sure everything is handled properly.
        Then, there is the dreaded bread basket. The poison placed directly in front of you, and hopefully it's not warm and buttered because the smell makes it worse that you can't indulge. *Something to think about, even if you aren't eating it. Everyone else is, and probably all the people who have sat at the table before you. Of course, they clean the tables, but they don't clean the seats as often so be careful where you touch while you eat.

ribs, home-made fries, corn on the cob and spanish rice

     Sorry to share my paranoia about gluten germs being everywhere. But they really are, so be careful. Gluten-free living can be scary, but it can also be really great. So let's choose to make it a good thing. Enjoy our home-made bread, fresh fruit and vegetables, and our family dinners. It really is more of a lifestyle choice than a diet.