Gluten Free Superbowl Snack ...

Enjoy Hip Chips Corn Chips with Edamame. Shown in the picture is the Savory Garden flavor. The crunchy savory garden chips go well with roasted red pepper hummus.

Gluten Free Mini Gnocchi with Tri Color Bell Peppers

Dinner tonight started with the blank canvas of gluten free gnocchi by DeLallo Foods. I added colorful bell peppers and sage to flavor the dish. The color of the meal satisfied the eyes and the texture and taste satisfied the palate.

Ingredients:

• 1 box of DeLallo Gluten Free Mini Gnocchi
• 3 bell peppers ... 1 red, 1 yellow, and 1 green
• 2 tbsps dried sage
• 1/2 red onion
• 3 cloves of garlic 
• olive oil (to coat the pan) 
• 1/4 cup water

Instructions

• Dice the onion and garlic and sautee until translucent
• Use a mandolin to thinly slice the bell peppers and add 1/2 the peppers to the pan with the translucent onion and garlic
• Add 1 tbsp dried sage and water and cook until liquid is gone
• Biol the water to prepare to cook the gnocci (follow directions on box)
• While the water is boiling ... place 1/2 of the remaining sliced peppers (1/4) on the plate as a base layer
• Add gnocchi to the water and cook until gnocchi floats (about 2-4 minutes)
• Add the gnocchi to the pan, the remaining 1/4 of the sliced peppers, 1 tbsp dried sage, and 1/2 cup of the gnocchi water. Cook until water is absorbed
• Serve atop the bed of peppers
• Add salt and pepper to taste (if you wish)

NOTE: Adding the bell peppers at different stages of cooking ensures many different textures are achieved in this dish!

Vegan Medley Featuring Sweet Corn, Asparagus, and Rosemary

A light and satisfying main dish can be made quickly with a few simple ingredients!

Ingredients:

• 1 Shallot
•  3 cloves of Garlic
• 6 Asparagus spears
• 4 SMALL Red Skinned Potatoes
• 1 TBSP Rosemary (I used dried - from my garden)
• Sweet Corn Crunch Dried Snacks by Sensible Foods
• Olive Oil 
• 1/4 vegetable bouillon cube - low sodium
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup chickpeas - I use dehydrated that I re-hydrate to control sodium levels. If using canned, get low sodium and rinse them.

Instructions:
Start by dicing:

• 1 shallot and 3 cloves of garlic. 
• 6 asparagus spears into small cylinders and saved the tops fir a garnish
• 4 small (organic) red skinned potatoes

Sautee the shallot and garlic in olive oil until translucent. Add the diced asparagus, potatoes, buillon, 1 tbsp dried rosemary, and water. Cook until nearly all of the water is absorbed then add 1/4 cup of Sweet Corn Crunch Dried Snacks by Sensible Foods and the chickpeas. When all of the liquid is cooked out of the pan the dish is ready.

Serve in a bowl and garnish with asparagus tops. You can add salt and pepper to taste.

Stuffed Butternut Squash with Roasted Edamame

I love winter squash on a cold day. The warm oven heats the house and the warm meal comforts the body.

Ingredients:

• Butternut squash
• Olive oil
• Red onions
• Garlic
• Cooked Quinoa
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Roasted Edamame Crunch Dried Snacks by Sensible Foods

Today I cooked a butternut squash two ways. I sliced the squash to separate the neck and base. I used a peeler to remove the skin from the neck. I cut the neck in sliced about 1/2 inch thick. I can use the slices on a sandwich for another meal. (Why not use the oven while it is on and prep a future meal ... saves time and energy). I placed the slices on non-stick aluminum foil, sprayed with a little olive oil, and seasoned with pepper...and a dash of salt. I cooked at 350for about 45 minutes. Cooking times depend on thickness of slices.

I hollowed out the base of the squash to remove the seeds and membranes. I sprayed a bit of olive oil, pepper, and salt into the base and cooked at 350 until done (about 1 hour). Cooking time depends on size of squash. You know the squash is done when the outer shell begins to brown and is soft to the touch.

In a separate pan I sauteed a cup of diced red onion and garlic. After they turned translucent I added 1/4 tsp of dehydrated vegetable broth to the pan and 1/4 1/2 cup of water. When the water was almost evaporated, I added 1 cup of cooked quinoa and 1/3 cup Roasted Edamame Crunch Dried Snacks by Sensible Foods. When the liquid was fully absorbed, I added it to the squash shell and served with gluten free bread (you could use crackers instead for more crunch).

Butternut squash is a blank canvas that can be used in many ways. It is one of my favorite winter squashes!

Enjoy Life Muffins with Seed and Fruit Mix

I decided to make muffins for breakfast. When not making muffins from scratch, one product I enjoy is Enjoy Life Muffin Mix. To add some extra flavor and texture to the recipe I added 1 TBSP vanilla and 1 package of Enjoy Life Seed and Fruit Mix.

You can eat the muffin alone or pair with anything you wish. I served with fresh fruit and Greek yogurt. You can also pair it with: fresh fruit, eggs, Sunbutter, or SoyButter, and/or applesauce to make the breakfast of your choice.

The muffins are a great mid-day snack!

Enjoy the blank canvas that you can make your own!

Chipotle Black Bean Burger

I was introduced to Gardein's Chipotle Black Bean Burger by my brother who is vegan. This is a product that we could share as it is not only vegan but gluten free. You know I love basics that can be modified so that each recipe is different. I keep a package of Gardein Chipotle Black Bean Burgers in the freezer (as well as a few gluten free pizza crusts) as my go-to quick-to-prepare meals!

Today I served the burger on a gluten free bun and added hummus and crushed red pepper. Additionally, I included a serving of vegetables to round out the lunch time meal.

The burger is easy to prepare, tastes good, and has a great texture! I enjoy serving it with a variety of condiments as well as with roasted vegetables.

French Toast ... Gluten Free with Grains and Seeds

I always enjoyed french toast for breakfast as a child. It was a comfort food that my mom would make for me. When I had to switch to a gluten free diet, I struggled to find a way to duplicate one of my favorite breakfasts! Over the last few years, many new breads have come to the market that allow me to replicate mom's comfort food ... although nothing would ever be like mom making it!

One sliced bread that is great for french toast is Three Bakers Great Seed bread.

For this recipe I scrambled two eggs and added two slices of bread to the mixture. After the bread soaked up the egg mixture I sauteed the bread in a pan (with butter or oil of your choice). I served the french toast with slices of red pear, a sprinkle of pepitas, and a drizzle of local honey.

NOTE: I use a 1 egg to 1 slice of bread ratio for this recipe.

NOTE: You can cook any leftover egg mixture that is not absorbed by the bread and have a small "side" of scrambled egg to go with the dish!

Still to come ... french bread using a GF Baguette!