Today my husband and I had the time to enjoy a breakfast together. I made oatmeal pancakes featuring Quaker Gluten Free Instant Oatmeal Packages (Maple and Brown Sugar Flavor). The recipe is tried-and-true, the gluten free oatmeal packet of choice for the meal is the variable.
I garnished with fresh and vibrantly colored fruits since we eat with our eyes first! I wanted the meal to look beautiful and, as a result, taste even better too!
Instead of maple syrup or honey I used Sunbutter on my pancakes. The added flavor and protein made the meal!
Options: Sprinkle with seeds and dried fruit for extra texture and flavor.
Welcome to my Gluten Free food blog! I believe life is a blank canvas; a masterpiece waiting to be created through food, fitness, family, and friends. Eating healthy is a priority of mine and this blog can help you eat healthy too! My family and friends include people with a variety of special dietary needs. Each recipe highlighted here is versatile and celebrates what we CAN eat. When you find a recipe you love, all you have to do is make a little change to make it work for your dietary needs!
Sunday, May 13, 2018
Friday, May 11, 2018
Risotto with Mixed Vegetables
On Sundays I shop at the Farmer's Market and obtain as much local, organic produce as I can for the week. What I cannot find there, I do purchase at the store. As some weeks draw to a conclusion, I find that I have a small amount of a variety of vegetables left. I do not have enough of any one vegetable for a side dish, but I have enough to add to recipes!
This week I found myself with a small collection of a variety of vegetables. I decided to use then to flavor risotto. Thus, risotto with mixed vegetables was created!
Ingredients:
This week I found myself with a small collection of a variety of vegetables. I decided to use then to flavor risotto. Thus, risotto with mixed vegetables was created!
Ingredients:
- Olive oil to sautee the vegetables and coat the rice
- 1.5 cups arborio rice
- 3 cups reduced sodium chicken broth (vegan option....use vegetable broth)
- 2 cups diced vegetables (I used carrots, chard stems, onions, and garlic)
- 1 cup cooked and diced or shredded chicken (omit this step if making vegan or add tofu or vegan meat substitute ... most are not gluten free so read the package carefully)
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese or Italian cheese blend or Parmesan (or dairy free option of making vegan)
- Optional: Fresh basil to garnish
- Optional: 1/2 cup nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor if making vegan
- Optional: Almond slivers added at serving for vegan option
- Dice the vegetables
- Add olive oil and rice to a pot and to warm and coat the rice
- Add the vegetables and broth
- When the broth is almost absorbed add the chicken/protein and stir
- At the last moment add the cheese/cheese substitute and stir
- When liquid is absorbed, serve and garnish plate for a pretty view (We do eat with our eyes first!)
Pasta with Mixed Vegeatbles
The blank canvas I used today was Ancient Harvest Pasta ... a gluten free pasta that has plenty of texture and is nutritious too!
I had many odds-and-ends left in my produce bin in the refrigerator so I used the pasta as a means to clean out the refrigerator. The pasta can be made with any combination of proteins and vegetables you prefer. The sauce you add to go along with the rest of the dish needs to enhance the flavor of the vegetables and protein source. This meal is "semi-homemade"... add your personalized flavors to the pasta and pasta sauce (or make your own sauce)
Today I used:
Instructions:
Serving Suggestions:
Serve with gluten free bread and/or salad.
Perhaps sprinkle cheese on top or add crushed red pepper or basil
I had many odds-and-ends left in my produce bin in the refrigerator so I used the pasta as a means to clean out the refrigerator. The pasta can be made with any combination of proteins and vegetables you prefer. The sauce you add to go along with the rest of the dish needs to enhance the flavor of the vegetables and protein source. This meal is "semi-homemade"... add your personalized flavors to the pasta and pasta sauce (or make your own sauce)
Today I used:
- 1 zucchini - diced small
- 4 garlic cloves - crushed and diced
- 1 leek - rinsed and diced
- 1 precooked Aidells gluten free chicken sausage - diced into small pieces
- Gluten Free Pasta (I used Ancient Harvest today) 1.5 cups uncooked serves two people
- Gluten Free Pasta Sauce
- Olive Oil (to saute)
Instructions:
- Sautee the garlic and leek in a few tablespoons of olive oil until they became translucent. I added the diced zucchini and sauteed and stirred the mixture for a few minutes.
- While the vegetables are cooking preheat water. When the water boils add 1-1.5 cups of dry pasta to the rolling boil and reduce heat to medium.
- Cook for about 5 minutes then drain (reserve a few tablespoons of water to add to the vegetables) and add to vegetables.
- Stir the pasta and few tablespoons of pasta water with the vegetables.
- Dice the sausage and add to the pasta (omit for a vegan meal or switch protein sources if you do not wish chicken sausage)
- Add 1-1.5 cups gluten free pasta sauce.
Serving Suggestions:
Serve with gluten free bread and/or salad.
Perhaps sprinkle cheese on top or add crushed red pepper or basil
Cleaning out the Refrigerator and Creating Nutritious Meals
Have you ever found yourself wondering what to do with one carrot, half an onion, one bell pepper, half a squash, etc? You do not have enough of each produce variety for a side dish so you need to either create a medley or use the produce in a dish.
The problem can be solved by using small amounts of a variety of produce in soups, pizzas, pasta dishes, and risotto.
Clean out your refrigerator by creatively using the produce so it does not go to waste!
Pictured here:
Ancient Harvest Gluten Free Pasta with Zucchini, Garlic, Leek, and Aidells Chicken Sausage (gluten free)
Risotto with Carrots, Chard Stems, Onions, and Garlic
The problem can be solved by using small amounts of a variety of produce in soups, pizzas, pasta dishes, and risotto.
Clean out your refrigerator by creatively using the produce so it does not go to waste!
Pictured here:
Ancient Harvest Gluten Free Pasta with Zucchini, Garlic, Leek, and Aidells Chicken Sausage (gluten free)
Risotto with Carrots, Chard Stems, Onions, and Garlic
Tuesday, May 8, 2018
No Bake Cookie Balls
I love baking but do not always like to heat the house as the temperatures increase. I also sometimes find myself in a bind and do not have enough oven space for baking while I am making the REAL food for a dinner gathering at my home. I get around this predicament by making NO BAKE TREATS!
No Bake Cookie Balls are blank slates that can be customized. Options will be noted with the ingredients. The Cookie Balls last a week stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container ... if they last that long!
Ingredients:
Instructions:
OPTION:
Indent a thumbprint in the top of the ball
After they chill to "set" you can serve with fresh fruit, jam, soy/nut/seed butter, or candy in the imprint
NOTE:
They seem very soft when forming and refrigerating
They are stiff when they first come out of the refrigerator and soften within a few minutes.
No Bake Cookie Balls are blank slates that can be customized. Options will be noted with the ingredients. The Cookie Balls last a week stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container ... if they last that long!
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup Don't Go Nuts Roasted Chocolate Soybean Spread (or nut butter/soy butter/seed butter of your choice)
- 4 tbsp butter or coconut butter softened
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla (coconut)
- 1/2 cup gluten free four (I used a 1-1 blend ... you could swap flours but may need to adjust moisture)
Instructions:
- In a stand up mixer, mix the soy/nut/seed butter and butter until they are creamy
- Add sugar and flavoring
- Add gluten free flour
- Form into small balls and refrigerate for about 30 minutes
OPTION:
Indent a thumbprint in the top of the ball
After they chill to "set" you can serve with fresh fruit, jam, soy/nut/seed butter, or candy in the imprint
NOTE:
They seem very soft when forming and refrigerating
They are stiff when they first come out of the refrigerator and soften within a few minutes.
Monday, May 7, 2018
Power Cookie ... Sandwich
When I make quinoa I usually make a large batch ... a blank canvas to customize. You already knew that about me!
Today I made a version of my Sugarless Chocolate Chip Cookies and added an option to make them DECADENT.
Base Ingredients:
1 very ripe banana (that's the natural sweetness)
1 cup of flax seed meal
1 cup of almond flour (it's gluten free)
1/2 cup cooked quinoa
1/2 cup diced dates and cranberries
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup nut butter (I used almond butter to keep "nuts" consistent)
NOTE: For those avoiding nuts ... use SORGHUM Flour, QUINOA Flour, or OAT Flour
For those avoiding nuts ... substitute SOY Butter or Sunflower Seed Butter for the nut butter
OPTIONAL: add 1/4 cup coconut flakes
Instructions:
** I use Bob's Red Mill Ground Flax Seed Meal, Almond Flour, and Quinoa **
Today I made a version of my Sugarless Chocolate Chip Cookies and added an option to make them DECADENT.
Base Ingredients:
1 very ripe banana (that's the natural sweetness)
1 cup of flax seed meal
1 cup of almond flour (it's gluten free)
1/2 cup cooked quinoa
1/2 cup diced dates and cranberries
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup nut butter (I used almond butter to keep "nuts" consistent)
NOTE: For those avoiding nuts ... use SORGHUM Flour, QUINOA Flour, or OAT Flour
For those avoiding nuts ... substitute SOY Butter or Sunflower Seed Butter for the nut butter
OPTIONAL: add 1/4 cup coconut flakes
Instructions:
- Combine wet ingredients
- Add in dry one at a time
- Form into balls the desired size you wish
- I made large ones ... palm size for the option to cut and make into sandwiches (Create sandwiches with Nut/Seed/Soy Butter OR Cream Cheese Frosting after the bites have cooled)
- Bake for 20 minutes at 350 on a parchment lined baking sheet
Let cool
Store in an airtight container OR enjoy right away!
** I use Bob's Red Mill Ground Flax Seed Meal, Almond Flour, and Quinoa **
Friday, May 4, 2018
Crunchy Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake
Sweet alliteration! I was teaching my high school students about poetry terms and we discussed examples of alliteration. Chocolate Chip Cookies was an example of alliteration that the students readily shared. That inspired me to make Crunchy Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake! I shared them with good friends who happened to have a birthday last week. So happy I could share a special recipe with my friends on their special day!
Ingredients for 6 small cheesecakes ... 6 muffin size cheesecakes
Variations: You can use GF Vanilla Honey Graham or GF Sugar Crisp if you are not looking for a Chocolate fix! (EnjoyLife brand)
http://healthyrecipevariations.blogspot.com/2016/05/gluten-free-mini-cheesecakes-with.html
Ingredients for 6 small cheesecakes ... 6 muffin size cheesecakes
CRUST:
1 CUP crumbled gluten free crunchy chocolate
chip cookies
3-4 TBSP melted butter
Variations: You can use GF Vanilla Honey Graham or GF Sugar Crisp if you are not looking for a Chocolate fix! (EnjoyLife brand)
Filling Base
Ingredients:
8 OZ Cream Cheese (I use low fat cheesecake)
1/3 Cup sugar
1 Egg
1 TSP Vanilla Extract
Topping Options:
Melt Enjoy Life Gluten Free Chocolate Chips and top with fresh berries (2-3 tbsp per "muffin")
Fresh Berries
Don't Go Nuts Chocolate Roasted Soybean Spread
Nuts and Seeds
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)