Gluten Free Graham Crust

Graham crust is a great base for many desserts including cheesecake, coconut cream pie, vanilla custard and banana cream. Here is a quick Gluten-Free version of the original. I use different nuts sometimes but often I use almonds.

1 1/2 cups Gluten Free Flour
1/2    cup   Margarine, melted
1/2    cup   Brown Sugar
1/2    cup   Chopped Nuts

Mix ingredients and spread evenly into a pie pan. Bake at 350F for 15 minutes, or until brown. Top with your favorite filling (cheesecake!!).

To make the Gluten Free flour mixture that I use for this recipe, combine:

6 cups sweet Rice Flour
2 cups Tapioca Flour
1 cup   Potato Starch

Fall; The Season of Abundance

The fall is a beautiful time of the year to be Gluten Free. It might not seem that way when starting out but it really is. All of the best veggies are ready for harvest and for the most part, the big family get-togethers focus on turkey and chicken now that it is cool enough to get the oven going.

Thanksgiving and Christmas both have an abundance of options as long as you stay away from the stuffing and the dessert table. Many Gluten-Free breads actually make the best stuffing because of their texture.

Fall is also zucchini season and there are soooo many things you can do with zucchini. I slice it into strips and use it in place of pasta noodles in sauce. Sometimes I take a large zucchini to the mandolin slicer and cut into large "noodles" for lasagna. Just keep in mind that they do not soak up liquid like pasta does so keep it a little drier.

In the fall/winter I make a full roasted chicken at least once a week. I love the smell in the house while it roasts and since I am only feeding Jonny and I, we have lots of leftovers. I am able to make enough chicken salad for the first part of the week and broth to last the full week. The day after we roast chicken, I like to make a giant Chicken Caesar Salad or Greek Salad even! Jonny gets a full breast and a leg for his lunch on Monday with leftover veggies. It really works out perfect!

The time is almost here for me to get out my canning supplies and get started. Last year I canned tomato sauce, peaches, spicy beans and jalapenos and I learned so much along the way. This year I plan to do things a little different. First off, I am going to dehydrate more items. I love dried fruit as a snack and it takes up far less space than the jarred kind. I am not going to can any jalepenos as I made way too many last year.  It was also and extremely painful process when the heat started coming through the gloves!

Fall is upon us! Feel happy as it signifies more than the oncoming winter. It is harvest, one of the most abundant times of the year for produce! Keep your chin up and a smile on your face because all your favorite foods are ready for you to create into a culinary masterpiece!

Happy Almost-Fall Everyone! :)

Creamy Coleslaw

Coleslaw is a great side dish with many meals from family get-togethers to picnics to a quick lunch. It is gluten free and can be served with almost any fish or meat you can think of. I love it as a side dish to fish and chips. It is so easy to make (especially if you have a food processor).

2  Tbsp heavy Cream
2  Tbsp light Mayonnaise
1  Tbsp Vinegar
1/2 Tbsp Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Celery Seed
1/2 tsp ground Black Pepper
4    cups shredded Cabbage
1    large shredded Carrot

Mix the dressing ingredients together and pour over the cabbage and carrot. Mix it together and chill it for at least an hour. Serve cold and enjoy!

Greek Salad Dressing

Being Gluten-Free definitely means that you are going to miss out on a lot of great meals that the world has to offer. On the bright side, you can become the king or queen of salads. There are endless options and combinations and as long as you are making your own dressing, you know it will be Gluten-Free.

I love how salty and wonderful Greek salad is. Any chance I get to put some olives and homemade feta cheese into, I'm all over it! Traditional Greek salad has no lettuce at all but I really enjoy more of an Americanized version of the salad. I toss this dressing in with romaine lettuce, cucumber, tomato, red onion, black olives and feta cheese.

And of course, it is Gluten-Free!

1 1/2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 1/2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1        Clove Garlic, crushed
1/2    tsp Lemon Pepper Seasoning
1/4    tsp Salt
1/4    tsp Dried Oregano
1/4    tsp Dried Basil

Blend together all of the ingredients in a jar, shaker or food processor. Crumble some feta into the dressing if you would like.

Spinach Salad with Orange Vinaigrette

This is a great salad that I found in an old Curves book that I picked up at a garage sale. Not only is it Gluten-Free but it is also very good for you!

No one can deny how good spinach really is for you. It is packed with vitamins and minerals. Many of us remember having the green slop on our plates during dinner but nowadays there are much nicer ways of serving it. It is also hard to ignore how much healthier it is for you in its raw form. Vegetables lose a lot of their nutritional value when you cook them. The heating process breaks down the vitamins and minerals in the food and they are gone before they get to your plate.

The recipe is simple and very quick to make. A great last minute salad.

Vinaigrette:

2 1/2 Tbsp Orange Juice
1       Tbsp Wine Vinegar
1 1/2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/4     tsp ground black pepper
1/2     tsp salt

Combine all the ingredients in a shaker or jar and mix until well combined.

Salad:

2    cups fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup sliced baby mushrooms
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion

Place the salad ingredients in a bowl. Mix with the vinaigrette and serve right away.


Try adding almonds, pecan, cranberries, raisins, bacon bits or any other topping you enjoy. There are endless ways to enjoy this salad.

White Bread for the Bread Machine

White bread is one of the first things you begin to miss when you go gluten-free. It is one of the hardest things to make and have it resemble the original gluten-filled version. The gluten is the part that makes the bread chewy and delicious but without gluten, it would have the consistency of banana or zucchini bread. Although many of us still love those, the crumbly texture make it very difficult to produce something that will hold in your sandwich meat and other fillings.

Here in Niagara there is a Book Depot which has amazing deals on all sorts of books. I went there in search of gluten-free cook books first as they can be expensive and hard to find in small towns. I was able to get my  hands onto two Gluten-Free Bread books so I could test out a variety of recipes.

This recipe is from "125 Best Gluten-Free Bread Machine Recipes" by Donna Washburn and Heather Butt

2 1/4 cup  (550mL) Brown Rice Flour

2/3 cup     (150mL)  Potato Starch

1/3 cup     (75mL)    Tapioca Starch

1/4 cup     (60mL)    Nonfat Dry Milk Powder or Skim Milk Powder

1/4 cup     (60mL)    Granulated Sugar

2 1/2 tsp   (12mL)    Xanthan Gum

1 1/4 tsp   (6mL)      Bread Machine Yeast

1 3/4 tsp   (8mL)      Salt

1 1/4 cup  (300mL)  Water

1/4 cup     (60mL)    Vegetable Oil

1 tsp         (5mL)      Cider Vinegar

2                              Eggs, lightly beaten

2                              Egg Whites, lightly beaten

In a large bowl or bag, mix together all the dry ingredients very well.

Pour water, oil, and vinegar into the bread machine. Add the eggs and egg whites. 

Select the Dough Cycle and as the machine is running, slowly add the dry ingredients. Scrape the bottom and sides of the pan to make sure everything is mixed in.

When the mixing and kneading is complete, remove the blade but leave the bread pan in the machine. Smooth the top of the loaf quickly and , close the top and allow the cycle to finish. Turn off the bread machine. 

Select the Bake Cycle. Set the time to 60 minutes and the temperature to 350F. When the cycle is finished, take the temperature of the loaf with an instant read thermometer. It should be 200F. If it is between 180-200F, leave the machine on keep warm until baked the rest of the way through. If it is below 180F, put it back on the bake cycle and check every 10 minutes until it is done.

Once cooked, remove it from the pan and allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Sometime I place it in the oven (turned off) and allow it to cool on the rack in there. 

There you go! White gluten free bread from a bread machine! Once you have the recipe down, feel free to add some herbs or spices to it!

Beerless Can Chicken

Okay, so we all know that we can't have beer. But there are other things that you can put in a can inside a chicken for flavoring. Any flavoring you like for chicken, can be put inside an empty can.


1 full chicken
1 empty beer or pop can
water to fill 1/2 the can
flavoring - 3 tbsp ghee OR
              - rosemary and thyme OR
              - lemon juice and rosemary OR
              - lime juice and chilis


Make sure to always season (salt and pepper) your chicken before cooking. I like to use some of the flavoring as a rub on the outside of the chicken as well.
Fill half the can up with water and then add the flavorings you like to the can. Put the can upright in the middle of an oven-safe pan. Put the chicken on top of the can standing the chicken upright as well. Bake in a 400F oven until the chicken is cooked through. You can also cook this on the BBQ if you'd prefer! Great for the summer!

This is a great dinner that you can have every night of the week if you wanted. The leftovers are great for lunch. Completely safe and candida-free.

Country Style Pork Ribs

I love any meal that can be made all in one pot! This recipe for Pork Ribs does exactly that! This can be made as directed on a stove or put in a slow cooker and left to cook all day.

1 1/2 tsp oil
1-2 lbs pork ribs
3/4 cup apple cider
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cloves
1/4 lb onions, chopped
2    stalks celery, chopped
1/4 lb baby carrots, or full-sized carrots chopped
1/4 lb new potatoes

Heat the oil in a dutch oven and add the ribs to brown. Add the next 3 ingredients and cover to let simmer for 1 hour. Add the vegetables and simmer for another 45 minutes.


It really is that easy! I have had this one stored away in my recipe box for quite a while and use it all the time. Sometimes I change out a couple vegetables for other ones but it is delicious just as written.



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GF Blueberry Chocolate Banana Bread

I cannot explain how much I love banana bread. It has been the thing I break down and eat knowing its going to hurt later. I am so glad to have found this recipe to share with you so we can all enjoy our banana bread... and eat it too!
I have borrowed this recipe from another blog. I have included the link to it at the bottom of the page. When I make my own loaf I will update it with any changes I made and some pictures of my creation :)

1 1/2 cups almond meal
2       eggs
3       egg whites
1/4    cup canola oil
3/4    cup brown sugar
1       cup mashed banana
1       tsp vanilla extract
1       tsp cinnamon
3/4    tsp baking powder
1/2    tsp salt
1       cup blueberries
1/2    cup dark chocolate chunks

Preheat your oven to 350F. Grease a 5x10 loaf pan.

Mix together all the ingredients except the chocolate and blueberries until it is just mixed. Then fold in the blueberries and chocolate.

Pour the batter into the greased load pan and bake for about 50 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. Let cool slightly and enjoy.

How easy is that?!? Below I included a link to where I originally found this recipe!

http://keepitsweetdesserts.com/blueberry-chocolate-chunk-banana-bread-gluten-free/


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Breakfast Banana Oatmeal Muffins

I love having muffins for breakfast but many of the recipes call for a bunch of ingredients or have a ton of sugar in them. I love this recipe because I can reduce the sugar used in it a little if I like. Everything is mixed in the blender which also makes it easy to pour into the cups.

You should note that some people have a hard time digesting the oats when you are gluten sensitive. I have never had a problem with the old fashioned or steel cut but I avoid the processed instant oats. If oats bother you, steer clear of this recipe :)


2 1/2 cups oats
1       single serving cup of plain greek yogurt
2       eggs
3/4    cup  sweetener (honey, sugar, 2 Tbsp stevia)
1 1/2 tsp   baking powder
1/2    tsp   baking soda
2               bananas

Preheat your oven to 400F. Spray a muffin pan or grease it. Put all of the ingredients in a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Divide the batter evenly among the pans and bake for 20-25 minutes.

There it is! It is actually THAT easy :) Allow them to cool a little and eat them up.


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Gluten Free Waffles

I love waffles so much that I bought my boyfriend one of those crazy waffle-makers with all the bells a whistles last year for his birthday. We ate waffles almost every weekend until I realized how sick they were making me! I looked online of ages trying to find a good Gluten-Free waffle recipe and I have found one! So delicious! And you can omit the eggs too by just adding a little more milk.

Ingredients:

1    cup white or brown rice flour
1/2 cup potato starch
1/4 tapioca flour
2    tsp baking powder
1    tsp salt
1/4 cup oil
2    eggs
1 1/2 cups milk or buttermilk
1    tsp sugar

Directions:

Mix everything together lightly until just mixed. Pour into a hot waffle iron. Serve with fresh  homemade butter or homemade yogurt and fresh berries. :)


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Green Pea Soup

This is a recipe that I love all year round. In the summer I use the fresh peas from my garden, and in the winter I use frozen peas.

Ingredients:


3     Tbsp fresh ginger
5-6  cloves of garlic
1      Serrano pepper (or jalapeno)
1/4   tsp cumin

3      Tbsp ghee or sunflower oil
2       bay leaves
1       medium onion

4 1/2 cups vegetable stock
3 1/2 cups peas
1       tsp sea salt
1       squeeze lemon juice

1) Combine the first 4 ingredients in a mortar or food processor into a paste.
2) Heat the oil or ghee in a saucepan over medium-high heat then add bay leaves and onion and saute.
3) Stir in the paste and cook for another minute or two. Add the vegetable stock, peas, salt and lemon juice and cook until peas are tender.
4) Remove from the heat and puree with a hand mixer.

Serve with a dallop of homemade yogurt and a sprig of mint.

Gluten Free Bean Soup

Bean soup is such a great way to fill up for lunch or dinner! I always make a big batch and jar some while it is hot so I can store it for later. You can also freeze some of the unused soup so it is there when you need a quick lunch. This can also be made vegetarian by simply removing the meat and adding a little more salt.

Ingredients:
2    cups of mixed dried beans (kidney, black, pinto, lentils, northern)
6    cups water
1/2 tsp salt
1    onion, chopped
1    stalk celery, chopped
2    garlic cloves
1    bay leaf
2    ham hocks
1/4 cup salted pork cubes (or bacon)

Directions:
1) Soak the beans overnight or use a quick-soak method.
2) Brown the onion, celery and garlic briefly in a soup pot, then add the rest of the ingredients to the pot. Cover the pot, bring to a simmer and continue to cook for 3 hours until the beans are soft.
3) Cool the ham hocks and remove the meat. Put the meat back into the soup.

This recipe serves 6. Serve with some GF bread or crackers or on its own!

Gluten Free Pear Bread Recipe

I found this recipe just today and had to make it right away. I found it on another great gluten free blog site called Simply...Gluten Free. I knew I needed to share it with you all right away!

1 1/2 cups brown rice flour
1/2    cup tapioca, corn or potato starch
1       tsp baking powder
1       tsp kosher or sea salt
2       tsp ground cinnamon

2       eggs
1 1/3 cup sugar
1/2    cup grapeseed or canola oil
2       tsp vanilla

2       pears, peeled and grated
1       cup walnuts

1) Preheat over to 350F. Grease a 9x5 pan and dust lightly with brown rice flour.
2) Mix together rice, tapioca, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
3) In another bowl, mix together eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla. Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Add the pears and walnuts and mix lightly.
4) Bake for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Serve warm with homemade butter :)


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Easy and Delicious Hummus

Hummus tastes amazing as a dip or a spread with veggies, breads and crackers. Hummus is one of my favorite healthy lunch snacks to take with me to work.

1 (15oz) can chickpeas
1/4 cup tahini paste
3    Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1    garlic clove (roasted if you have it)
1/4 tsp ground cumin
      salt and pepper to taste

1) Drain the chickpeas and put the liquid aside.
2) Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. If it is too thick to blend, add some of the chickpea liquid.

Serve at room temperature with a mixed veggie platter, pork or lamb. It is a great spread on a sandwich or pita.

Try mixing in roasted red pepper, fresh herbs or chili flakes to change up the flavor of your hummus. There are so many possibilities!

Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts

I absolutely love brussels sprouts but my boyfriend, not so much. I find that seasoning them and roasting them in the oven actually gets the best results. Its is much more delicious than steaming them (although that has its health benefits). This is super simple, just how I like my recipes to be.

as many sprouts as you think you can handle
olive oil
salt and pepper

1) Preheat the oven to 400F. Take off any yellow leaves and score the bottom of each sprout with an "X".
2) Put the sprouts on a baking sheet and spinkle with vegetable oil (or your favorite oil that can handle hot cooking). Sprinkly with some salt and pepper and roll them around to cover them in seasoning.
3) Put them in the oven and bake for about 35 minutes or until a fork goes in easily, turning once. Serve them hot.


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Hot Breakfast Cereal

Try changing up the measurements in this recipe to incorporate all your favorites. There is a brand of Old Mill that has a breakfast cereal similar to this but I enjoy making my own combination (and saving some money).

1    cup brown rice
1/2 cup quinoa
1/2 cup millet
1/2 cup buckwheat groats
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup flax seeds
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup amaranth

1) Grind up everything except cornmeal and amaranth. This can be done in a coffee grinder or a mortar and pestle. Put the mixture in a jar or bag to have ready whenever you want some.

2) Stir 1 cup of the grain mix into 4 cups of salted, boiling water and cook for 20 minutes until all the grains are soft. Serve with fresh berries, custard or cinnamon sugar.

If I know I will be rushed in the morning I pop it into the rice cooker and let it do its thing while I get ready. A rice cooker is a great friend when working with grains, beans, lentils or rice on a regular basis. I hope you enjoy!


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Lemon Quinoa

Quinoa is an amazing grain that is so good for you. It is full of protein and is therefore great to replace some meat in your diet for a lower fat option. I love having quinoa as a side dish to my main meal.


1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 stalks celery
1/4 red onion
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp ground cumin

1) Toast the pine nuts in a hot skillet being careful not to burn them. Put them aside.
2) In a saucepan, combine the quinoa, water and salt and bring to a simmer. Cover and allow to cook 10 minutes until the water is absorbed. You can also use a rice cooker if you would like.
3) Put the cooked quinoa into a serving dish and mix in the remaining ingredients. Add salt and pepper to taste.

This is great served on the side of a rice or chicken dish. Enjoy!


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Vegetarian Bean Chilli

When I found out all my sickness was caused by too much yeast in my belly i was dismayed and excited. This meant that gluten was not the culprit and I could get back to some of my favorite foods soon! It explained why removing gluten was making me feel better and also why I was having adverse reactions to sugar. I felt like I was limited to raw veggies. This week I have had enough, I want a real meal in my belly and Chilli hit the spot!

Ingredients:
1 can mixed beans (or kidney, black or anything you like)
1 can tomatoes (crushed, cubed, whole but squished)

2    stalks celery
1/2 onion chopped
      garlic cloves to your liking
1    green pepper

GF chilli seasoning (watch for cornstarch)


Brown all the veggies in a pot on the stove. The pour in the can of beans and the canned tomatoes. Pour in the chilli seasoning. I get mine in bulk and add as much as I like the taste of. Cover with a lid and let simmer for at least an hour.

Ta-Daaa! All done! You can add any veggies that you like that are "safe". You can also add ground meat. On my yeast-free diet I am only allowed chicken and fish so I love adding ground chicken to this. When I don't have to be so careful about my sugar intake I add carrots, coloured peppers and mushrooms.

Feel free to pop this all in the slow cooker and leave to cook while you are at work. Great meal to come home to!

Delicious, healthy and inexpensive! Perfect!

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Homemade Cream Cheese- So Easy!!

I love cream cheese and therefore find myself buying it often. I am not sure why I have not looked into making my own until now. I was amazed at how easy it was and so inexpensive! And if you make your own yogurt at home it is even better! It will cut down on the cost, packaging and you have more control over what you are consuming.


Ingredients:
1 quart (4 cups) plain yogurt (whole milk or low-fat is fine)


1) Put a colander in a bowl and line it with buttercloth. Add the yogurt and fold the cloth over the top (or cover with something).


2) Leave this in the fridge to drain for a minimum of 5 hours. For a thicker cream cheese let it drain longer.


3) Make sure to remove liquid as it drains so it doesn't reach the cream cheese and become reabsorbed. It is ready and you can eat it!


You can also try mixing in your favorite flavor of jam or some fresh herbs.




*** note: If you are using store-bought yogurt then the expiry date of your cream cheese will be the same as the yogurt***


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