gluten-free, dairy-free ice-cream at home

        I recently received an ice-cream maker as a gift. And what a gift it has been. Since I have been dairy-free for close to 2 years it's been awhile since I have been able to enjoy ice-cream. Which hasn't been easy because I have a sweet tooth, so I would cheat anytime people were having ice-cream and eat a little, then regret it later.. Even sherberts & sorbets usually have skim milk in them. 
        I've been experimenting with all kinds of flavors and these are a few that have been hits with my family that have no allergies.


Mint & York peppermint patty  


3 cups of original almond milk
1/2 cup of sugar or sweetener
1 teaspoon peppermint extract 


Combine all ingredients, place in ice-cream maker for 25-30 minutes. Add 2 crushed york peppermint patties (or 1/4 cup of chocolate chips). I really like the peppermint patties because it adds another level to mint & chip.


Tropical
1 1/2 cups original almond milk
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1/4 cup Orange juice
1/2 cup of sugar or sweetener
1 banana sliced 
1/4 cup of crushed pineapple or diced fresh pineapple


Mix juice, milks and sugar together well, incorporate the fruit and pour into machine.


I'm excited, I'll be able to enjoy sweet treats on a hot day..now I have to work on making a gluten-free waffle cone recipe.

lunch today: gluten-free mini pizzas

        I'm not proud of it, but I have eaten a lot of frozen pizza in my life. I've never been a person that craved pizza. Until I gave up dairy, then cheesy pizza & cheesy bread always sounded good, just not good for me. Now, I make pizzas with Gluten-Free bread mix. I normally make the dough according to package instructions and add garlic powder & Italian seasonings. Roll out the dough and bake at the temperature on the box for like ten or fifteen minutes and then add toppings and put back in the oven.

Pizza I made for Valentine's day

        Today I used my gluten-free rolls, (GF english muffins or GF hamburger buns have also worked for me in the past). Ragu pizza sauce, Hormel Turkey Pepperonis, almond cheese alternative Mozzarella style. (You can use real cheese if you are not dairy-free). I cut the roll in half, add sauce, cheese & pepperonis and then put them in the toaster oven until the cheese is melted and the pepperonis are crisp. I love turkey pepperonis, they get really crisp and are so good. Plus they aren't as greasy as regular pepperonis. This is such an easy lunch & they taste so much better than regular gluten frozen bagel bites or frozen mini pizzas.

                         I love jalapenos on my pizza

I've done my own research and found that those brands are gluten-free, but remember to always double-check if you have a gluten-intolerance because ingredients change all the time.

Enjoy.

    

delicious veggie filled meat sauce

         Gluten Free Pasta with delicious home-made meat sauce


        My mom always made her own pasta sauce. I honestly didn't know pasta sauce came in a jar until I was an adult. Our meat sauce was made with ground beef and was usually served with macaroni noodles or spaghetti. It was always delicious. When I started cooking, I wanted to add vegetables to everything, simply because I love my veggies.
It started with bell peppers and it escalated to grated carrots and diced tomatoes as well. I've also added frozen peas or corn at the last few minutes, it all depends on what you like and what you have on hand.This is perfect for those who want to add more veggies to their diets. If you're not a big fan of vegetables, this is still perfect for you because the vegetables get great flavor from the sauce.

Ingredients:
Ground beef
half of a green bell pepper
two cans of tomato sauce*
two tomatoes diced
one grated carrot
salt
pepper
garlic powder
red pepper flakes
Italian seasoning


Start by seasoning and browning the meat, add diced bell peppers when meat is almost finished. When meat is cooked, add tomato sauce and veggies. Season again to taste. Add cooked gluten-free corn pasta or brown rice pasta to sauce. Mix well & serve.


I served it with a side of steamed Zucchini & tossed in some  shredded Almond Mozzarella.

*Be sure to use a natural tomato sauce, some are pre-seasoned and it gives it a different flavor

easy gluten-free lunch

        Figuring out what to eat for lunch once I started my gluten-free life was a bit of a challenge. I was used to eating out, or eating something easy like a sandwich or a frozen burrito.

        Good gluten-free corn tortillas are a staple in my diet. I use Guerrero white corn tortillas. I use them for Quesadillas with my dairy-free almond cheese alternative and whatever meat leftovers from dinner the night before as a great quick lunch. Or I heat up deli meat, like bologna or roast beef and eat that with a corn tortilla.

        This is a white corn tortilla with a few slices of Hillshire Farms roast beef that I heated in a skillet and seasoned with a little pepper. A few slices of avocado and jalapenos make this perfect and delicious. I highly recommend you give it a try if you're looking for an easy and tasty lunch.  

sunday morning biscuits and gravy

        Sunday Morning breakfast. I made the mistake of watching food network's diners, drive-ins and dives on Saturday night. Seeing all that diner food gave me cravings for biscuits and gravy. Instead of being gloomy that I cannot simply go have that at a diner, I decided I would make a gluten-free, dairy free version. I made the bread dough, and let it rise in the fridge overnight.

       When I woke up, I made drop biscuits with my gluten-free bread mix. Then I started cooking my ground beef. I used hamburger meat instead of the traditional sausage gravy. 

        For the gravy I started with some unsweetened almond milk, gluten-free all purpose flour, (rice flour or instant mashed potatoes also work), and seasoned with salt, pepper, 1 minced garlic glove and a pinch of parsley.

       With a cup of coffee and a glass of Orange juice..there could not be a better start to the day.

gluten-free pasta

        Lemon Chicken Pasta with Zucchini & "Mozzarella"

       I never thought much about pasta, until I knew I couldn't have it. I was very relieved to know that there are alternatives for people who must live gluten-free. Obviously eating a lot of pasta, even if it is gluten-free, will not help you lose weight..if you're trying out gluten-free living as an actual diet.

        So far, I've tried brown rice pasta, corn pasta, and quinoa pasta. Brown rice cooks the fastest, but the corn pasta is more accessible to me, and is available in more variations at my grocery store.

        Last night I browned some boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces. Seasoned with garlic powder, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Once the chicken is no longer pink, (I prefer it lightly browned), I add chicken stock and two large zucchini cut into crescent shapes. I usually season again with more garlic powder and Italian seasoning. Let the stock reduce down then add the cooked pasta once zucchini is tender. Squeeze the juice of one lemon and top with shredded "mozzarella".

Ingredients:

boneless skinless chicken breast

garlic powder

salt

pepper

Italian seasoning

red pepper flakes

rigatoni corn pasta

zucchini

juice of one lemon

almond cheese alternative mozzarella style

dinner tonight: Gorditas

Dinner tonight

Gorditas

        I made ground beef filling for my first attempt at Gorditas. I remember my grandmother making them but haven’t had them in about ten years. I made the dough using this recipe

        One shredded russet potato, and diced bell pepper add really good texture and make the ground beef filling really delicious. I seasoned the meat with salt, pepper, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and a little taco sauce.

Toppings included my homemade corn salsa, 

shredded lettuce and cubed avocado

Served with a side of Spanish rice

        Full and feeling nostalgic, thinking about the last time I had Gorditas standing in my grandma’s kitchen. I think that having Mexican heritage really eased the transition to my Gluten-free life. The only thing I had to cut from our usual Mexican recipes was flour tortillas. Most corn tortillas are gluten-free, 

(always read the label, Guerrero white corn tortillas are clearly labeled Gluten-free)

Rice, beans, carne asada, chicken. A lot of the food from my childhood is naturally safe for me to eat, and that’s a good feeling.