Monday, July 9, 2012

Hawiian fried rice 7/10

SO easy, and one of my families favorites, east with some chop sticks and nothing but a bowl on the table. easy peasy!

INGREDIENTS:
21/2 cups rice
4 large carrots, diced
1/4-1/2 diced onion
3 garlic cloves
1/4 cup tamari sauce
1 can spam-diced
3 eggs ( optional)

Rice-
cook until its nice and soft

IN a wok next to your cooking rice- cook up
1/4 and onion
3 garlic cloves ( I pushed mine through my garlic press)
4 large carrots chopped up

Once those are nice and cooked- add 1 can of spam diced into the mix

THEN add your cooked rice into the wok, and put about 1/4 a cup tamari sauce into the mixture

While you stirring that you can pull out any for those Egg free family members to enjoy and fry up and egg for those who would like it to add to the pot.

Salt and pepper to taste and enjoy. good for a quick night and something fun from Hawaii!

Teriyaki Meatballs


All right, tonight's dinner features something I have been craving for a while! I am going to saute a few bell peppers, pineapples, onions carrots and broccoli, and zucchini to go with the rice and meat balls! 
Baked Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs
1 1/4 lb. ground turkey meat (preferably not extra-lean)
1/2 medium yellow onion, grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp grated ginger
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
3/4 tsp five-spice powder
1 egg ( use equal substitute of flax gel)
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp dried Gf,Df,Ef breadcrumbs
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Sauce:
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup Gf Tamari sauce
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tsp minced fresh ginger
2 minced garlic cloves
2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
Meatballs:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Thoroughly coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, grated onion, garlic, ginger, parsley, five-spice powder, FLAX GEL, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper.
Mix well to combine. Using a 2 tablespoon portion of the turkey mixture, form meatballs by rolling between the palms of your hands. Place the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet, spacing evenly.
Bake until the meatballs are firm to the touch and cooked through, about 15 minutes.
Sauce:
In a small saucepan, combine rice vinegar, brown sugar, water, soya sauce, 1/4 cup canola oil, ginger, garlic, flour, and sesame seeds. Whisk the sauce together and place over medium heat. Simmer until the sauce is slightly thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Keep warm.
Brush the meatballs liberally with the sauce. Return to the oven for 5 minutes. Serve immediately.
These can be served over rice or as hors d’oeuvres. Either way, serve with the extra sauce.
Makes 30 meatballs

Sunday, July 8, 2012

No bake cookies

One of my very favorite cookies to much on are the ones you can make all summer long with out heating up your oven! This is one of the EASIEST recipes to convert to GF,  DF, EF

"It goes like-a this" ( little mermaid?? you know you heard Sebastian say it in your head):


Ingredients

3cups quick cooking rolled oats- GF
cup peanut butter
½cup chopped peanuts (optional) 
2cups sugar
½cup (1 stick) DF butter
½cup Almond
cup Hershey's cocoa
2tsp. GF vanilla extract      Directions
Line cookie sheet with wax paper or parchment.
Measure oats, peanut butter, and peanuts; set aside.
Combine sugar, butter, milk, and cocoa in medium sauce pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a rolling boil. ( if you are using reg. GF oats, this is when you add them and turn WAY down the heat for a bit)
Remove from heat. Add oats, peanut butter, peanuts, and vanilla stir quickly, mixing well.
Immediately drop mixture by heaping tsp. onto paper. Cool. Store in cool dry place.




















I never add peanut Butter, I prefer almond butter...and I leave out the chopped up peanuts too. The other thing you need to remember is that GF quick oats can be hard to find, so I use Regular GF oats, but they need to cook in the sauce a bit to soften up, or else it gets mighty crunchy...and not in a good way.

Good luck! Happy cooking!

Friday, March 23, 2012

one of my favorite places to find new GF things...

Today Gluten Free Frenzy is Giving away Elizabeth Hasselbecks Nogi bars, have you tries these? I LOVED LOVED them!!

When making my daily internet rounds I always check out this website because they are ALWAYS giving away things! its fabulous, so check it out. =)


http://www.glutenfreefrenzy.com/2012/03/nogii-bars-feature-and-giveaway.html

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Chocolate chip bannana bread 10/10

I got this one from the "gluten-Free Goddess" blog, ( LOVE HER!)  I of course twisted it a bit. I threw an apple in my food processor and made it into tiny bits and threw it in the batter instead of the chocolate chips. Normally I love a good dose of chocolate, but we were out and I was desperate for some great bread. This recipe delivered! 10/10

Banana Chocolate Chip Bread Recipe

As any woman of experience knows, bananas come in all shapes and sizes. Well, within a pretty close range, anyway. We used average, medium-sized bananas for this recipe. If your bananas are exceptionally large, Babycakes, you may want to adjust your recipe, and cut back to three. You need about a cup of puree.

Note: If you bake at higher altitudes, you may need to cut back on the baking powder (the baking powder basically replaces eggs for leavening). Follow the usual guidelines for your altitude.

Ingredients:

3 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup puree)
1/3 cup light olive oil
1 cup organic light brown sugar
2 teaspoons bourbon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups gluten-free flour blend or gluten-free baking mix
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon arrowroot starch
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 rounded teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips (or use chopped walnuts or pecans) 

Instructions:

Combine the wet ingredients a mixing bowl.

Add the dry ingredients into the banana mixture and stir until smooth. If the batter looks too thin and wet, add more gluten-free flour, a tablespoon at a time, to thicken the batter.

Add in the chocolate chips and stir by hand to combine.

Preheat your oven to 350ºF. Lightly oil the bottom of a standard bread loaf pan and dust with rice or corn flour.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake in the center of a preheated oven for an hour, until the loaf is firm, a bit crusty, and a wooden pick inserted into the center emerges clean.

Cool the loaf on a wire rack.

Slice and wrap each slice in foil; bag and freeze.

This bread is tasty as is, but- it is truly sublime when grilled in a hot iron skillet with a touch of light olive oil. The chocolate chips melt and the banana fragrance intensifies and your taste buds- well, they get very, very happy.

Cook time: 1 hour

Yield: 8 slices

This recipe is blissfully gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, soy-free, nut-free, and corn-free (if you check the source of your xanthan gum and baking powder).


Read more: http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2007/11/banana-chocolate-chip-bread.html#ixzz1oCWe4eFU

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Almond chicken kabobs

Original Recipe Yield 16 servings


Ingredients

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed

1/4 cup chopped toasted almonds

16 bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 20 minutes

Directions

1.In a medium, nonreactive bowl, blend Dijon mustard, honey, vegetable oil, and lemon juice. Place chicken in the mixture, stirring to coat. Cover, and, turning occasionally, allow to marinate in the refrigerator at least 1 hour.

2.Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat, and lightly oil grate. Soak wooden skewers in water for about 20 minutes.

3.Thread chicken onto skewers. Arrange on the prepared grill, and cook 7 to 10 minutes, until no longer pink and juices run clear. Brush chicken occasionally with remaining marinade while cooking.

4.Remove skewers from heat, and quickly roll in the almonds to lightly coat chicken. Discard remaining marinade mixture.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

simple apple salad

I did a little GF, DF,EF surfing at allrecipes.com this morning and found this recipe. It intriguing to me that this might actually taste good, so I am going to try it this week =)


Ingredients

  • 10 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and chopped
  • 2 (8 ounce) cans pineapple chunks
  • 2 cups raisins
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 20 ounces sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Directions

  1. Combine the apples, undrained pineapple, raisins, pecans and sour cream. Mix well and add sugar to taste. Serve chilled.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Scones, Breakfast for dinner - 9

I got this Recipe from the website Living with out, AWESOME site and magazine! =) this is going to be our breakfast for dinner this week:

Free, Allergy-Friendly Lemon Scones
MAKES 8 SCONES

Free of gluten and the top eight food allergens, these delicious pastries are ideal for your holiday breakfast table. They’re also satisfying when served alone, the perfect companion to a steaming cup of coffee or tea.
For a fun treat, throw in a ½ cup of allergy-friendly chocolate chips*.
1¾ cups (6.6 ounces) gluten-free flour blend of choice
½ cup (2 ounces) tapioca flour½ teaspoon xanthan gum
1½ teaspoons cream of tartar
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt2 tablespoons granulated sugar
½ cup (3 ounces) chocolate chips*, optional1 tablespoon flax meal
3 tablespoons water
⅓ cup rice milk + ⅛ cup rice milk, divided
1 lemon for zest (approximately 1 tablespoon)
4 tablespoons (2 ounces) dairy-free, soy-free margarine of choice, cold
1 tablespoon rice milk, to brush tops of scones1 tablespoon cinnamon sugar**, optional


1. Preheat oven to 400º F (350º F for convection oven). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Sift together the gluten-free flour blend, tapioca flour, xanthan gum, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add chocolate chips, if desired.
3. Whisk together the flax meal and water. Let mixture sit for a couple minutes while you zest the lemon. You should have approximately 1 tablespoon of lemon zest. Whisk again the flax meal and water. It will have a gelatinous texture. Add the lemon zest and 1/3 cup rice milk to the flax mixture. Whisk gently to combine.
4. Cut cold margarine into small pieces and work into the flour mixture with your hands until mixture resembles a coarse meal.
5. Add rice milk mixture. Stir with a rubber spatula by hand just until combined. Add remaining rice milk (⅛ cup), a tablespoon at a time as needed, until dough hangs together.
6. Using a designated #20 portion scoop, scoop the dough onto a parchment-lined sheet pan. Flatten slightly with a half-cup measure or glass dipped in tapioca flour. Or for a traditional triangular scone, shape the dough into a 7-inch disc, ¾-inch thick. Using a bench scraper or chef’s knife, cut the dough into 8 wedges and set on a prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
7. Brush the top surfaces with rice milk and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, if desired.
8. Place scones in preheated oven and bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes.
9. Cool scones on the baking sheet on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Then transfer scones to the rack and cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
*TIP Gluten-free, allergy-friendly chocolate chips are available from Enjoy Life Foods (enjoylifefoods.com). Gluten-free, dairy-free chocolate chips (Chocolate Dream) are available from Sunspire (sunspire.com).
**TIP To make cinnamon sugar, combine ½ cup granulated sugar with 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Mix well.
Each scone contains 254 calories, 11g total fat, 5g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 339mg sodium, 37g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, 2g protein.
The original version of this scone recipe was created for the 1st Annual Gluten-Free Summit, held in Copper Mountain, Colorado. Allergy chefs Joel and Mary Schaefer have since altered their recipe so that it’s not only gluten free but free of the top 8 allergens. Recipe reprinted with permission from Serving People with Food Allergies, Kitchen Management and Menu Creation (CRC Press), by Joel Schaefer.


The Kids LOVED these. I made them just as written. BUT I would say that with out the chocolate chips I think they would have been bland. my husband who is VERY GF picky and doesn't always eat the same diet gave this a 5. I think he may have been being a little too hard on it. =)

Breaded Pork Chops 7/10

Ingredients

4 pork chops, trimmed
2 tablespoons DF "butter", melted
Flax seed gel to dip pork chops in-in place of egg
2 tablespoons almond/ soy/ rice milk
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup herb-seasoned dry bread stuffing mix- or use GF bread crumbs with italian seasoning

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Pour butter into a 9x13 inch baking pan.
Stir together egg, milk and pepper. Dip pork chops in flax seed mixture, coat with stuffing mix and place in pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Turn chops and bake for another 10 minutes, or until no pink remains in the meat and juices run clear.


*** I loved it! however, my main dish was tainted by the fact that I burnt the side dish! =( but I would reccommened these to any one, I didn't even use the flax gel, only wiped the excess blood and water of the chops let them soak in almond mile for a minute and then dipped them in the breading! WONDERFUL! I also seared them in a pan with a bit of olive oil before I threw them in the oven.

Smoked pork tacos and pineapple salsa 6/10

Smoked Pork Tacos


1 ½ pounds of lean pork, loin or tenderloin works well here, although any part will do
A full cup of freshly squeezed lime juice and orange juice (mixed together half and half to make a cup)
Salt and pepper
Lots of garlic

**I had in my freezer some kalua pulled pork, which is just basically pork, salt and smoke. so I took that pork and added the garlic and orange and lime juice. I like the idea of a shredded pork better then the strips.

I am also going to make a simple Pineapple salsa with it:

Pineapple salsa:
Ingredients:
1 cup finely chopped fresh pineapple
2 tablespoons finely chopped purple onion
2 tablespoons finely chopped green onion
1 tablespoon finely chopped red bell pepper, optional
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon honey
dash ground red pepper, cayenne or chipotle
2 teaspoons finely minced jalapeno pepper, optional
juice of 1 fresh lime, about 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Preparation:
Combine all ingredients; cover and refrigerate for an hour or more to blend flavors. Serve with grilled or broiled fish, chicken, or pork. Makes about 1 1/3 cups.

***** We LOVED this dinner, but it was a lot of citrus with the Pork, pineapple salsa and the guac ( which I like tart). The pineapple salsa was a huge hit getting 10's and 9's all around, the pork was 5's and 7's. If I were to do this meal again I would not pair the salsa and pork together and stick with a traditional salsa, saving the pineapple salsa for another meal. I also might try and crock pot my ingredients to get my shredded pork it would be a fun experiment. =0) OH, and we take corn tortillas and fry them in a pan to make "homemade taco shell" this was the true star of the night and what the kids enjoyed the most!

Spaghetti ????/10

Ingredients
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
2 tablespoons dried basil
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon white sugar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup red wine


this is simple, throw it in a crock pot and let it soak in the flavors! If you want you want to make it a little more meaty add carrots and Zucchini!

**Wherever possbile I use FRESH herbs. Fresh basil, oregano and garlic. It makes food have so much more depth, I will do the same for this recipe. The only thing I have to say, I don't cook with wine, I only use cooking wine. Its somthing I feel much more comfortable with since I don't Drink acohol of any kind.

** I am still on the hunt for a great Spaghetti recipe, after 10 years I have not found one I love yet..send me yours if you have one!

THE KIDS loved this....but I had the flu....so I couldn't properly rate it...maybe next time =)

weekly menu

It can be such a frustrating thing to plan a weekly menu when you have dietary restrictions! I have been reduced to tears more then once over a day full of budget/variety/lack of idea frustrations. Sometimes when I hit these bad points, I go visit my friend the freezer. He shows me what I can use to help save some money in my weekly budget and He often gives me fresh ideas by giving me the challenge to use things before they suffer from freezer burn.

THIS WEEK WAS FREEZER WEEK! So I will make the list and let you know what I am using from my freezer. Sometimes I use a lot of items in my freezer and sometimes its just one or too things =)

You will notice I number my meals. I Never plan by the day. I like to have flexibility in my menu so I can switch it change it re arrange it. and for some reason when I assign my food A day, I feel guilty changing it. I mean When pizza night is no longer on Monday Night I feel like I have cheated Monday some how by favoring Thursday since it get the pizza. I know, goofy, but it works for me! ALSO, I try to plan a sunday-esk dinner even if it doesn't work out, and I always have at least one meatless night since the longer we eat this diet the more Vegan-like we become in our dietary habits.

ANYWAY-

1- Turkey Chili ( we have an allergy to beef in this home) FREEZER!!
2- Chicken Divan
3- Pork Tacos FREEZER! ( left over roast that I re-froze so we wouldn't waste it)
4- Spaghetti ( meat-less)
5-Chicken enchiladas
6-Breakfast for dinner
7- Pork Chops ( most likely Sunday dinner)

On to make my shopping list!

Monday, January 9, 2012

Breakfast for dinner 10/10

In our house a family favorite is ALWAYS breakfast for dinner! Maybe its because their mom is to lazy in the morning to get her cook on, or maybe its just that good, either way- the happy dance is done by all when we have breakfast for dinner.

Pancakes:

I use Pamela's Baking and pancake mix, and I ALMOST follow the directions like it says, except-
In place of the eggs I use 1 1/2 TBLSPNS of ground flax seed
In place of water I use Almond milk
then I add a sprinkle of cinnamon and about 2 TBLS of brown sugar

Bacon?? YES please!
for those who haven't heard...cook it in your oven! throw down some parchment paper, lay out your Bacon and cook at 350.

Hash Browns:
roasted garlic seasoning is my favorite to throw on there. but the best part about hash browns is cooking them up in the bacon grease with a little pepper and they usually turn out NICE.

get a little fruit on that plate and call it good for a night, greasy, sugary yumminess. only once in a while though- o.k?

Apple chicken Stir Fry 7/10

This recipe totally intrigued me! I LOVE apples, and we eat stir fry (in so many of its glorious variations) once a week. The only true criticism I have of this dish in the apple factor, there were just not enough!! so next time I will be doubling the apples, maybe My apple was just small, I am not sure.... BUT...... My little big man loved this recipe, so we will for sure make it again

1 pound cubed boneless, skinless chicken breast
1/2 cup onion, vertically sliced
1 3/4 cups carrots, thinly sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
1 cup fresh or frozen Chinese pea pods
1 tablespoon water
1 medium baking apple, cored and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon oil
2 cups cooked brown rice

Directions
Stir-fry cubed chicken breast in 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in nonstick skillet until lightly browned and cooked. Remove from skillet.
Stir-fry onion, carrots and basil in oil in same skillet until carrots are tender. Stir in pea pods and water. Stir-fry 2 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in apple. Add to chicken.
Serve hot over cooked rice.

Lemony artichoke heart chicken

This recipe is for My little big man in the house. He LOVES artichokes. So since we have not made this yet I can't give you a rating- but I will let you know how it goes! =)


Ingredients
1 tablespoon unsalted DF "butter"
1/3 cup GF flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 lemons, juiced
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup white cooking wine
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup water
Directions

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Combine the GF flour and salt on a plate, then gently press the chicken breasts into the flour mixture to coat. Shake off the excess flour. Arrange the chicken in the skillet and cook until browned on each side, about 10 minutes. Add the lemon juice, chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, vermouth, garlic, bay leaf, and basil. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes. Stir in the artichoke hearts, and continue simmering until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, about 15 minutes more.
Mix the cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Stir the mixture into the chicken, and continue cooking until thickened, about 5 minutes.

Our version of Cafe Reo Pork 9/9

This dinner is my very favorite!! I gave it a 9/9 my kids would probably give it less, but only because we eat it SO often! with this dinner, its all about the crock pot baby! In my mind you need three important components to make this dinner shine, the pork, the rice and MANGO SALSA! here are the three recipes:

Sweet Pulled Pork:

4-5 lbs pork roast
19 oz of your favorite salsa
1 can of sprite or mountain dew
1 1/2 cup brown sugar

I dump all the ingredients into my crock pot and put it on low or high depending on how much time I have it needs a minimum of five hours I think to really get tender and full of flavorful. Its easy to mess with more or less salsa, more or less soda and sugar. you decide but these key ingredients always come out fantastic!

RICE:

1 cup Uncooked Rice
1 teaspoon Butter
2 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 Tablespoon Fresh Lime Juice Plus 1 Teaspoon, Divided
1 can (15 Oz. Can) Chicken Broth
1 cup Water
3 Tablespoons Fresh Chopped Cilantro
2 teaspoons Sugar


Combine rice, butter, garlic, 1 teaspoon lime juice, chicken broth and water in a saucepan or rice cooker. Cook for 15-20 minutes until rice is tender.
In a small bowl, combine remaining 1 tablespoon lime juice, sugar, and cilantro. Pour over the hot cooked rice and mix in as you fluff the rice.


** I actually just cook in the cilantro, lime and sugar with my rice, PURE laziness...

MANGO SALSA:

one bag of frozen mango salsa thawed, diced
one can of corn
one tomato diced
one orange bell pepper diced
1 can black beans drained
1/4 diced red onion
1/8 cup lime juice
2 tablespoons orange/apricot/strawberry ( whatever you have around...except grape) jelly
1 bunch of cilantro chopped

I love to do this in my food processor, I put in the cilantro, red onion slices, bell pepper quartered and pulse it a few times until I like the consistency, then I throw in my mango and hit pulse a few more times until I like it all, dump the mixture into a bowl and add the remaining ingredients.

***I thought I found this recipe on a web site, but after an extensive search I realized I had taken about five different recipes and made up my own....so there you have it. OH and if you are having black beans on the side ( which we usually do with this dinner) then I leave the black beans out of the salsa.

NOW that you have read though this dinner ( which surprisingly sounds much more complicated then it actually is!) don't forget so many of the amazing sides! Some GF chips or tortillas to make burritos, DF cheese and DF sour cream, guacamole and maybe some regular salsa for those not feeling as sweet. =) I hope you enjoy this one, it my FAVORITE!!

Sunday, January 8, 2012

A new year

One of my new years resolutions is to ACTUALLY post on this blog. So each week I will post our planned meals and the recipes. Any one who reads it can watch and see what we think since we will rate it after we eat it- OR you can cook along with us and let me know what you think =) either way I would love any participation as my family and I start this journey to make eating Gluten free, Diary free and Egg free a little more care free!