Fun, Fresh Ideas to Manage Work, Home, and a Gluten Free Diet!

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It’s Burrito Time (when is it not!) Bean Burritos – gluten free

I’m an emeals fan! Total groupy. I use it weekly to glean ideas for dinner for my adventurous eaters! They love burritos, but I never make them because of the gluten free requirement, but last week I saw this great product and decided to give it a go. The results were amazing!!

What you need for a family of 6 with school lunch leftovers (8 burritos).

Salsa

The wraps (8) warmed on griddle

3/4cup jasmine organic rice

1 1/4 cup quinoa

2 1/4 c water

2 cups “Mexican cheese blend”

Iceberg lettuce shredded

2 avocado sliced

2 cans organic black beans

Cilantro

Jalapeño pepper

Red pepper flakes

Salt

1/4 red onion

Garlic 1 clove

Ok- start boiling the water and mix in salt, olive oil and rice and quinoa together. Boil 30 sec and then simmer for 20 mins

In a food processor, pulse onion, garlic, jalapeño, cilantro, red pepper flakes and then add black beans and pulse lightly so it still has some chunky beans.

Scrape into bowl or saucepan and either microwave 3 mins or heat in stovetop depending on your preference!

Ok! It’s assembly time! Turn on the music!

Line up your wraps.

Pile on rice & quinoa, cheese, lettuce, avocado and bean mix

Tuck sides and roll.

Slice in half and serve with salsa! I used a pineapple salsa (yummmmmy) but any will do!

Enjoy❤️

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Stuffed Zucchini

I’m on a mission to reduce my dairy intake. The struggle is real – 2-5 cappuccinos each day made with whole milk, yogurt, cheese sticks, nightly Breyer’s vanilla ice cream and vegetarian dishes rich with cheese.  I’m cooking for 6 and 3 of them are growing, little athletes and need calories. How can you amp up the calories & protein with a health conscious plant based diet? It’s tough!

I subscribe to “emeals” that I found through amazon and it gives me some great dinner ideas that are easy and fit my family’s dietary needs. Tonight I’m making a modification of their stuffed zucchini. This isn’t vegan, but could easily be so with just a change from the Parmesan to vegan  Parmesan. I served the dish with quinoa mixed with corn and black beans and topped with a dressing prepared with olive oil, agave, lime, apple cider vinegar and crushed red pepper.

Ingredients – 6 large servings

6 zucchini

1 cup chopped mushroom

2 onions

2 T chopped garlic

1 can chopped tomato, drained of extra fluid

2T chipotle sauce

1 cup gluten free bread crumbs

1 cup parmesan, divided

1 cup chopped walnuts

Olive oil

salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper

Preheat oven to 425

Halve zucchini & scoop out to create a zucchini canoe. Cut end off. I used a grapefruit spoon and it was fast work this way.

Saute with oil, onion, garlic and mushroom. Add chipotle and seasoning. Add drained tomatoe and zucchini. Sauté until tender. Drain extra fluid.

Mix in 1/2 of cheese and bread crumbs.

Fill your canoes heaping to the top.

Cover, generously, with walnuts and then sprinkle with remaining Parmesan.

bake on top rack for 40 mins

enjoy❤️

 

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Chick pea, cauliflower Curry! Meatless Monday (and of course gluten free & delicious)

This one is good. Really good. Everyone had 2 servings, except my hubby who thinks his belly “is growing” (and then he had ice cream). I do, however, support calorie prioritization, and not having ice cream makes me sad, so I get it.

This recipe is simple.

This is everything you need. Plus you can sub in and out the veggies you have available. I cook for 6 with plans for school lunches for 3 the next day, so please half the recipe if you are cooking for a more manageable household (also maybe you don’t need wine with dinner? Don’t know… but sometimes this house gets a little crazy) .

Ingredients

Powdered chipotle – dash

Green curry paste – 4 heaping spoonfuls

Olive oil

Curry powder- to taste

Salt and pepper

Cilantro -1/4cup chopped

Tomatoes 1 cup chopped- I used heirloom cherry tomatoes halved/quartered

1 ear corn

2 cans organic chick peas

1 can coconut milk

1 red onion

2t minced garlic

Ginger fresh 1t

2 heads cauliflower

Sundried tomatoes

Rice (I used brown)

Let’s Do This!

Get the rice going… it takes the longest.

In a large saucepan put in oil and curry Paste. Mix on medium heat and once mixed add onion, garlic, ginger, salt, pepper, chipotle & curry

Yum. Smells awesome already.

Add veggies (corn – I slice the corn off the husk right into the pan)and cook until tenderAdd beans, additional spices to taste

Add coconut milk

Simmer until the rice is done!

Add cilantro & tomatoes

Yep. That’s gonna be good!

Serve with rice and lime slices.

Enjoy!❤️

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Warrior Pancakes! Fuel up! Açaí, chia, chocolate chip Pancakes! (And gluten free for me!)

You know it… the daily struggle of trying to feed your kids healthy, energy powered foods that you can read the ingredients. My son loves to eat bars… I can’t even read many of the ingredients. The ones that have decipherable ingredients, like the amazing Redd bars, are fantastic. I like them and he does too, but they get pricey when he eats 4 in one day!

Pancakes are great because you can modify the ingredients to meet your family’s needs. I love to add pumpkin purée- it amps up the vitamin C and makes them light and fluffy. Today, however, I want to ramp up the kcals and antioxidants to fuel my growing little (and not so little) athletes!

Warrior Pancakes (recipe will feed 8, halve it for 4)

2 cups gluten free baking mix (I use Pamela’s) or sub in 2 cups flour of choice, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 t baking soda, 2 t baking powder.

1 T chia seeds (you can add more but if you add too much it gets noticeable)

1T açai powder

1/4 cup chocolate chips

2T turbinado sugar

1/2 c oatmeal

Mix dry ingredients

Combine wet ingredients and then add all at once to dry

1 cup milk (or water if you want light)

2 eggs

1 t vanilla

2T Apple cider vinegar

2T olive oil

Heat griddle to medium heat and you’ve got it from here!

Enjoy ❤️

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Meatless Monday- cleaning out the fridge turns into gluten free lasagna extravaganza

Monday. I’m beat. When are the weekend activities going to abate? I open the fridge and it’s a disaster. There are stacks of Tupperware containers of varying ages and stages of decay. My 16 year old son just crams his leftover plates – uncovered… still on the plate- wherever he can fit them in the fridge, and my 12 year old wants lasagna. Lasagna.

I hate throwing away veggies, so after cleaning out the fridge and restoring order, I have some decent ingredients left and I’m using them!

Sauce

1 onion finely chopped

1 T chopped garlic

Sauté.

Add rosemary, oregano, rosemary, salt, red pepper

2 finely chopped zucchini (if your kids are picky, shred it so it’s not identifiable)

1 cup chopped cherry tomatoes

Sauté mas 

2 T chipotle

1/2 can pumpkin pack

1 16 oz can of diced tomatoes

What’s in your fridge?


If you have veggie haters, shred it so they don’t know what you’re feeding them


Chipotle makes everything better


Cherry tomatoes on their last days


1/2 can leftover from pumpkin pancakes


Yum.


Filling

Ricotta 10oz

4 oz mozzarella

1t nutmeg

2 eggs

Yep- leftover ricotta from quiche last Friday. Same for the mozzarella. I see an Amazon fresh order in my near future because this fridge is empty!

Cheese it up


Noodles

2 cups of gluten free flour mix- I used Pamela’s 

1 egg mixed with water to total 225 ml

These gluten free noodles take less than 5 mins to make and don’t need to pre-bake


Layer

This is looking soooo good!


Bake at 350 for 45 mins

I topped with olives.. had 1/2 a jar of those too

Yep. 30 mins, a clean fridge, a healthy meatless gluten free Monday meal!


Eat

Dinner is served!


The pumpkin adds a smooth richness to he sauce that just blends perfectly with the subtle spice of the chipotle. 

This turned out just right and my fridge is clean too!

Happy Monday❤️

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Spinach Ricotta Lasagna Rolls – gluten free & amazing

That’s right! The only thing faster than cooking this was how fast my family ate it!

Pasta is just the most versatile dish. The problem is if you can’t eat wheat… then you are stuck with the limited selection of gluten free pasta products. Store bought gluten free lasagna is just not comparable to the “real deal” and I just don’t like to serve it to my family.  Homemade gluten free pasta is shockingly simple to make…. and fast. Really fast. 

So, here is one of my favorite prep time under 30 min dinners. 

Hate has no home here.

Start with the following

2 eggs

12 oz chopped spinach

1/4 cup pine nuts

8oz ricotta

Red pepper flakes

Salt

Pepper

1/4 t nutmeg

1 t Italian seasonings 

Mix together. Add cheese. It’s pasta time!

Parmesan and mozzarella make everything betta

Pasta time!

And just like that… pasta almost perfect

Smear it

Roll it

Admire it

Put it in the pan

Repeat!

Sauce it

Bake it!

  • I followed the basic instructions on the machine. The only difference is that I use gluten free flour and a tsp of  xanthum gum. 
  • Add the quantity of water plus 20%
  • Flatten the pasta rolls as they come out. They crack once dry 
  • Smear each one with mixture and roll
  • Tonight I used store bought pasta sauce. Either yours or the stores? Pour in enough to coat bottom of greased pan. Place in rolls and cover with sauce and top with cheese
  • Bake 350 for 45 mins
  • Go for a run. You’ve got time!

❤ fast, delicious, gluten free. Happy belly, happy family, happy heart. ❤

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Meatless Monday + Pasta Machine = Gluten Free Lasagna!!  

Yep! That’s gluten free!

I love to make pasta dishes because I can prep the lickety-split and then take care of other things while it bakes!

Soooooo. I got this Pasta Machine that I can’t get enough of. I made lasagna a couple weeks ago.. but I had trouble with the mix… it was non-photogenic… but pretty yummy! So this is take 2, with a new flour mix and a decree to not follow the recipe and Voila! It worked! not perfectly beautiful on the prep, but delicious and looked just fine!


Sauce

Sauté the following

1 red onion, chopped

1 white onion chopped

1 cup shredded carrot

1 T garlic

5 small red peppers

1 zucchini chopped

1 T fresh oregano

Salt, pepper, red pepper flakes to taste

Pom chopped tomatoes 

1 T tomato paste

1T red wine vinegar

Simmer until delicious then add 1 cup of water because we are not going to precook the pasta

Cheese filling

8oz ricotta

1 cup mozzarella

1 t nutmeg

2 eggs

Mix well

Pasta!!

2 cups cup 4cup flour

1 tsp xanthum gum

2 eggs mixed with water to 230ml total

Make according to machine instructions except add extra water 

Ugly noodles look good when cooked!

Layer sauce, ugly noodles, ricotta mix, mozarella (more is always better), repeat and repeat. Top with plenty of cheese and Parmesan and then put it in the oven 45 mins at 375!!!

 

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Gluten Free Pasta! Homemade on my Sweet New Toy

Philips smart pasta maker! New toy!

I’ve been dying to make homemade gluten free pasta. I haven’t had fettuccini since being diagnosed with Celiac 6 years ago. I’ve been reading online for the last few months about how to make gluten free pasta… people are rolling, slicing and slaving to make a batch of gluten free pasta. Uff… that is not going to work with my dinner making schedule, and 6 people to feed. I came across several people making lovely, delicious gluten free pasta with no mess using  the Philips smart pasta maker, so when it came on sale, AND I found a coupon… it was in my cart!!

Tonight was the night! My 11 year old and I got out the instructions and decided to give it a go!

Gluten Free Fettucini Alfredo

Alfredo sauce for family of 6 (after swim practice.. half it if you are normal people)

1/2 cup butter, melted over med heat

1T gluten free flour, whisk in once melted

16 oz cream, whisk in and stir until thickened 

Add 1 t chopped/crushed garlic

1 T parsley 

1 cup Parmesan cheese, stir until smooth

Keep warm until ready to serve


Pasta!!!!! Yeah!!!! Change to fettucini shape. 

Place 2 cups of gluten free flour (I used Pamelas Artisan Blend All Purpose Flour)

2 t xanthum gum

Turn on machine!!! Egg pasta setting

It tells me to add 190 ml

I mix: 2 med eggs, water to equal 230 ml

Begin kneading, slowly add fluid

Wait for it… wait for it..

Yes yes yes!!!! Cut the pasta to your preferred length.

I repeated above for 2 batches and had enough for school lunches!

Place in boiling salted water for 6 mins

Serve and toss with Alfredo sauce and top with Parmesan!

As good as I remembered! Happy!


That is it! That’s all! It was so easy! So delicious!! 

Thanks Philips!!! Love my toy!!

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Dinner in a flash! Spinach quiche! Gluten Free!

You want easy, nutritious and fast? Well, here you go! This was crazy delicious and  I served it with some fresh tomato sauce! Yum. 

I decided to swim today and got home late… I had made pizza dough for the kids dinner before heading tot the pool.. but that has gluten, so I still needed something for me! NOT in the mood for salad and I have been craving a spinach Soufflé, so I decided to throw together a quiche- really this was 5 mins to in the oven.


What you need-

Gluten free premade pie crust- available at publix and whole food in frozen food aisle

Organic cut leaf spinach frozen in “steam in bag”

1 cup ricotta

5 eggs

1 cup whatever shredded cheese you have on hand (I used mozzarella, Parmesan, and Colby jack)

Swiss cheese slices

Red pepper flakes

Salt, pepper 

READY? 

Go! 

Heat oven to 400.

Take one of the frozen crusts and put a layer of Swiss cheese slices on bottom.

Place spinach in microwave per instructions but only cook half the recommended time. Cut corner when done and allow excess water to drain.

Mix 5 eggs, seasoning, ricotta and shredded cheese. Add spinach once drained. 

Bake at 400 40 mins or until knife comes out clean.

Enjoy!  This was so yummy that the kids ate more of it than the pizza!

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Gluten Free Gnocchi! 

Recently, a Facebook contact posted about making a rapid fire meal of gnocchi with sage butter… it sounded so good!! I have to admit, I’m not sure I’ve ever had gnocchi and I’m positive I never prepared it, but it sounded so good that I started researching how to make it! A million variations.. egg, no egg.. potatoes baked or boiled, potatoes flakes, sweet rice flour… honestly some of the recipes sounded more like a chemistry lab! I decided to go with EASY! Potatoes and gluten free flour and that’s it baby!


Gluten Free Gnocchi

6 organic medium organic potatoes

2 cups  gluten free flour

Pinch of granulated garlic

Pinch of dried sage


Boil potatoes for 35 mins

Place in ice bath and peel

Place in mixer and mix

Add all other ingredients and mix until smooth dough formed

Turn out into floured surface 


And slice into portions

Roll each into an 1″ tube and slice into 1″ segments, press lightly with a fork and get ready.. because you’re almost done!!


Remember.. I’m cooking for 6… and they are good eaters. You may be able to half or even quarter the recipe!

Salt water and bring to a boil 

Add the gnocchi to the water and boil until it floats up and you scoop them out with a slotted spoon!

Serve immediately, or add to sauce, toss lightly  and serve!

I followed the suggestion of the butter Sage sauce.. it was so good!

1/2 cup butter melted

1 clove garlic minced

Salt and pepper

4 sage leaves finely snipped

Simmer and then toss with Gnocchi and top with Parmesan cheese


Enjoy! ❤️

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