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! :)

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!

Visit My YouTube Channel
Like me on Facebook
My Gluten Free Me Blog
My Fun For Free-Niagara Blog
My Back To My Roots Blog
My Yeast Free, Sugar Free, Gluten Free Blog
Follow on Twitter @YesNoMabee

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***


Follow @YesNoMabee

Gluten Free Me on Facebook

Gluten Free Items at Wendys

Here is a list of gluten-free menu items from the Wendys website. Keep in mind that these are only items that do not contain gluten, but they may have come into contact with gluten.






Meat:
Hamburger Patty**
Ultimate Chicken Grill Breast†



Condiments:

Applewood Smoked Bacon
Asiago Cheese
Bacon Pieces
Becel® Margarine
Cheddar Cheese Sauce
Cheddar Pepper Jack Cheese Blend
Crinkle Cut Pickles
Honey Mustard Sauce
Ketchup
Lettuce
Mayonnaise, Lite
Mustard
Red Onion
Natural Asiago Cheese
Processed Cheese Slice
Ranch Sauce
Sour Cream
Tomato
Signature Sauce


Baked Potatoes:
Plain
Sour Cream & Chives
Bacon & Cheese
Broccoli & Cheese
Cheese*
Chili & Cheese*




Chili
Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
Hot Chili Seasoning Packet
Chili Cheese Nachos*








Beverages:
Coffee
Coffee Creamer
Iced Tea
Specialty Teas
Coca-Cola Classic®
Dasani® Water
Diet Coke®
Fresca®
Sprite®
Barq’s® Root Beer
Minute Maid® Apple Juice
Minute Maid Orange Juice
Fruitopia® Strawberry Passion Awareness
2% M.F. Partly Skimmed Milk
1% M.F. Partly Skimmed Choc Milk



Frostys:
Chocolate Frosty
Vanilla Frosty
Chocolate Frosty Shake
Strawberry Frosty Shake
Vanilla Bean Frosty Shake
Wild Berry Frosty Shake
Caramel Frosty Shake
Caramel Apple Frosty Parfait
(without granola)






Dressings:
Avocado Ranch Dressing
Creamy Red Jalapeno Dressing
Fat Free Italian Vinaigrette Dressing
Lemon Garlic Caesar Dressing
Light Classic Ranch Dressing†
Pomegranate Vinaigrette Dressing


Salads:
Caesar Side Salad
(without croutons)
Garden Side Salad
(without croutons)
Baja Salad
Seasoned Tortilla Strips
Apple Pecan Chicken Salad
(without pecans)
BLT Cobb Salad





Follow @YesNoMabee

Gluten Free Me on Facebook

Easy Homemade Gluten-Free Spelt Bread

I have been experimenting with many different gluten-free bread recipes. This is the best one I have come across yet. It is spongy like wheat bread and you can't tell the difference in taste at all.


Ingredients:
4    cups spelt flour
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 TBSP molasses
1    tsp baking soda
2   cups milk


Directions:


Preheat oven to 350F
Grease a 9x5 pan
Combine all ingredients in a bowl
Put "dough" into the bread pan
Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes


Follow @YesNoMabee

Gluten Free Me on Facebook

Amazing Gluten Free Cornbread

Ingredients


1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup GF sour cream
1 cup corn
2 eggs (beaten)
1 cup shredded cheddar
***optional Jalapenos if you like it spicy***


Directions


Mix all ingredients except cheddar
Pour half into a 9" square pan
Sprinkle with cheese
Pour second half of batter in
Bake at 375F for 35- 40 minutes

Follow @YesNoMabee

Gluten Free Me on Facebook