What's For Dinner Tonight? EASY {Gluten Free and Dairy Free} Chicken Sausage Pasta

This recipe is one of my family's favorites!The room gets strangely quiet when a meal like this hits the table.  I love that there is spinach and red pepper in there.  If you are Paleo this would go perfectly with Zucchini noodles!  The cheese on top is Daiya non-dairy cheese.

Ingredients:
1-6oz can tomato paste (and 1 can of water)
1-14.5 oz can of diced and stewed tomatoes
1 cup spinach
1 red or orange pepper
1 and 1/2 tsp garlic powder or 2 garlic cloves, minced
1 TBS dry italian seasoning
1 tsp olive oil
2 TBS pomegranate juice or 1 TBS basalmic vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 package Isernio's chicken sausage browned

Directions:
While browning the sausage put the first 4 ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.  Add the rest of the ingredients and cook in a saucepan until warmed through. Cook 1 package of gluten free pasta ( I like Tinkyada). Combine and enjoy! I am posting this at Allergy-free Wednesdays.

What's For Dinner Tonight? {Gluten and Dairy Free} Family Favorite Crockpot Chili

Here is my comfort food. I know this isn't the most "healthy" recipe at a glance. But I add 1 red pepper to give it vitamin c. Also, the tomatoes have lycopene. Then if you add a nice fresh salad on the side, this meal is not too bad. It's perfect for a cold day. And the recipe is SO easy.
 Prep time 20 minutes. Cook time Low 6-8 hours, High 3-4 hours.

2 pounds ground beef
1 large onion chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
2 TBS chili powder
1 and 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp coriander
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 cup chopped spinach
1/2 tsp oregano
3/4 red pepper chopped fine
1 can 15 or 16 oz kidney, pinto or black beans

Everything is in the crockpot and ready to go!

1. Cook beef in skillet over med heat, stirring occasionally until brown; drain.
2. Mix beef and remaining ingredients except beans in 3.5 to 6 quart slow cooker.
3. Cover and cook on low heat setting 6 to 8 hours (or high heat setting 3 to 4 hours) or until onion is tender.

4. Stir in beans. Cover and cook on high heat setting 15-20 minutes or until slightly thickened. Sometimes I add one can of Stagg's Chili (classic) when I add the beans. It adds to the volume, and the flavor.

Serve topped with Daiya cheese, guacamole, and scallions or dairy free sour cream recipe here. I also like to add some Vegenaise. It tastes like sour cream!  I may top with Fritos or Food for Life brown rice tortillas cut into pieces. I am posting this at Allergy-free Wednesdays.

{gluten and dairy free} asparagus risotto casserole

I have been wanting to try to make a risotto for some time, as I've heard about them on cooking programs. But my challenge was finding how to do one without dairy.  I found this in a favorite cookbook called, "Cooking for Isaiah". Boy, am I glad I did. It was quite easy. We served it along steak that was marinated in garlic, salt, pepper, and pomegranate juice before it was barbecued. It was a really nice combination.

2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cups Arborio rice
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup white wine
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup water
1 pound thin asparagus trimmed and cut into 1.5 inch pieces
1 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Finely grated zest of one lemon (can be omitted)

Serves 4 to 6. Prep time 15 minutes. Cook time 40 minutes

1. Preheat the oven to 375F. In a heavy ovenproof pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and rice; season with about 1 and 1/2 tsps salt and 1/2 tsp pepper.  Cook, stirring until the rice is toasted,about 3 minutes. Stir in the wine and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the broth and water; bake, uncovered, for 35 minutes.

2. Remove the risotto from the oven and stir in the asparagus. Continue to bake, uncovered, until the rice is tender, about 4 minutes more. Stir in the parsley and lemon zest (if desired).

{Gluten and Dairy Free} Ham and Rice Soup

Do you love your crockpot, but hate rushing in the morning to put the meal together? Sometimes, I do! How about putting the ingredients in a bowl the night before. Refrigerate it over night. In the morning transfer it to your crockpot and turn it on. Another idea is to freeze the ingredients in a large ziploc bag. If you lie it flat you can fit a lot of meals on top of each other in the freezer.  You can either thaw it and put it in the morning or you can put it in frozen and turn it on high while you get ready in the morning. Before you leave, turn it to low and you should be set! Even better make two of them in the evening. Freeze on and throw the other in the crockpot the next morning.

Here is the recipe I like to do it with. I made it last night and am throwing it in the crockpot on a marathon day like today.

I know this dish may sound funny, but as soon as I made it, it became a family favorite at our house. My kids cheer when I say it is in the crock pot. I love it because there are a lot of veggies in there, too. You can sub beans instead of rice (white beans).  The rice gets a bit mushy so if that bothers you, you can add the rice at the last minute. Sometimes I put a 1/2 cup rice in a bowl and then pour soup over it.

1 cup rice, uncooked
1 container of Hillshire farms smoked ham, coarsely chopped or 1 pkg farmland ham cubes
1 large onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
7 oz canned tomatoes with juice (I use safeway brand)
6 oz V-8 juice
2 TBS pure pomegranate juice (or you could use lemon juice)
1/2 TBS chili powder
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp black pepper
4 cups chicken broth
water
1/2 tsp salt
2 TBS dried thyme

Other good additives: a handful of chopped spinach, kale or sweet peppers.

Directions:

Put all ingredients in a crock pot. Add water until it is about an inch from the top of a medium size crock pot. Turn on low for 8 hours. Add salt and pepper to taste. We put frozen peas on top to cool it down, and eat it with toasted Food For Life English muffins that are dripping with Earth's Balance spread, or grapeseed oil.

My Two Favorite Pork Recipes

I'm not a big fan of pork. I love me some ham and bacon (who doesn't love bacon??), but pork I find a lot harder to swallow. Until I found this recipe. This is one of my all time favorite ways to eat pork.  It's grilled on the barbecue which makes it very easy. We love to serve it with rice or baked potatoes.  We often sub pears instead of apples and may like it even better.  I have it in a Pampered Chef cookbook, but found it posted on-line.  We mix the rosemary and next six ingredients all together and use as a glaze on the pork and apples.

Glazed Pork Chops with Grilled Apples

Submitted by: ARAMINTHA here on sparkpeople.com

from Pampered Chef - It's all Good for You

Number of Servings: 4

Ingredients

4 boneless pork top loin or sirloin chops, cut 3/4 - 1 inch thick (about 4 oz)
1 tsp. dried rosemary
1 garlic clove, pressed
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
(top 4 should be mixed together)
2 tsp finely chopped, peeled fresh gingerroot
1/2 cup apricot preserves
3 T Dijon mustard
2 medium gala apples, cored and cut crosswise into 1/2 inch slices

Directions

Yield: 4 svgs

1. Prepare grill for direct cooking over medium coals. Season both sides of pork chops with 1 tsp of the seasoning mix.

2. Peel gingerroot; finely chop using food chopper. Combine ginger root, preserves, mustard and remaining seasoning mix in bowl; mix well. Core apples; cut apples crosswise into 1/2 inch slices, using chef's knife.

3. Lightly grease grid of grill. Brush one side of apples and pork chops with glaze using bbq brush. Place apples and pork chops, glazed side down, on grid of grill. Grill apples 3 minutes and pork 5 minutes, covered, turning once. Brush apples and pork chops with remaining glaze. Grill, covered 3-5 minutes or until internal temperature for pork reaches 160 degrees for medium doneness.

Number of Servings: 4

Mustard Oregano Pork Chops

My friend gave me this recipe recently and I must say it was amazing. My husband even grabbed one of the leftover pork chops the next day, ate it cold and still commented on how delicious it was!  She told me this makes three servings for a family of five. She divides it into three gallon size bags and freezes it. That's three fast and easy dinners! I love it! She serves it with hasbrowns and apple sauce, so that's what I did, too. I used pomegranate juice instead of the vinegar and lemon juice and it worked out super well. I wish I had taken a photo before they were all eaten. Next time!

Ingredients:

12 lean pork loin chops
1/2 cup prepared mustard
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 T honey
3 t dried oregano
3 t minced garlic
3 one-gallon freezer bags

Whisk mustard through honey, divide into separate bags. Divide oregano and garlic evenly between bags. Add pork and freeze. Thaw and grill.

What's for Dinner Tonight?{Gluten and Dairy Free} Wholesome Chicken Tortilla Soup in the Crockpot

before toppings

Ingredients
3 tsp Taco Seasoning (a link to make your own!)
salt to taste (I used 1 and 1/2 tsp salt)
1 cup chopped spinach
4 roma tomatoes chopped
1 carrot grated
1 zucchini grated
1 cup cooked rice
2 cloves garlic
1 cup chopped cooked chicken
juice of 1 lime
1 red pepper chopped
1/4 tsp coriander
1 tsp onion powder
1 qt of Pacific Chicken Broth

tortilla chips crumbled on top

optional:
1 can black beans
chopped cilantro garnish
Daiya Havarti Jalepeno and Garlic "cheese" shredded
Vegenaise (tastes like sour cream!)

Directions:

Put the above ingredients in the crockpot on low for 8 hours. Top with Daiya, vegenaise, cilantro, or avocado. Don't forget the Tortilla chips! I am posting this at Allergy-free Wednesdays.

Soy-free, Sugar Free, Citrus-free Teriyaki Chicken

This is the kind of recipe you gobble down before you even think about taking a photo. Thanks again to Rachel Ray, I tried her amazing teriyaki recipe (found here). She said it was the most downloaded recipe of 2011. She made hers in the crockpot. I made it in a pan at the last minute with chicken breasts.

8 chicken legs, thighs attached (I used chicken breasts when cooking in a frying pan)
3 TBS cornstarch (or potato starch if you can't have corn)
salt and pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 bottle teriyaki sauce (see my recipe below)
3 TBS ginger grated or 3 tsp dry
3 cloves garlic grated or minced
3 TBS honey
6 scallions, white and green parts sliced on the bias, but kept separate
2 cups rice
2 cups water
1 TBS sesame seeds, toasted (I omitted these)
1 red bell pepper, cut into matchsticks
1 cucumber, cut thin into matchsticks
1 large carrot, cut thin into matchsticks
3 TBS cilantro
optional: 1 small bundle of broccoli cut into pieces

Teriyaki Sauce
2/3 cup chicken broth and salt (originally soy sauce)
1/4 cup pomegranate juice (originally sherry)
2 TBS maple sugar
1 tsp ground ginger
1 clove garlic
(adapted from all-recipes.com)

Preparation
In a large bowl (I use a plate) dust the chicken with cornstarch and season with salt and pepper. Heat medium sized skillet over medium high heat with about 1 TBS of EVOO and brown the chicken legs (if you are cooking in a pan cook it until almost done on a slightly lower heat)

In a slow cooker, add the browned chicken legs along with the teriyaki sauce, ginger, garlic, honey and white parts of the scallions (I added this to the pan when the chicken was almost done when cooking it on the stovetop). Put the lid on and cook on low for 5 hours or high for 3 hours. When the chicken is about 20 mintues away from being down, add the rice, water, 2 TBS of EVOO and salt to a medium sized pot with a lid. (I started the rice first, and added the other teriyaki type ingredients to my pan of chicken when the chicken was almost done and let simmer for 5 minutes or so).

Bring the pot of rice up to a boil, then drop it down to a simmer. Put the lid on and simmer for 10-15 minutes. When the rice is done, fluff with a work and fold in the green parts of the scallions and sesame seeds (I omitted them). I have found the greatest secret of rice on the stove top is don't lift the lid! Jasmine rice is my favorite.

To serve, place the rice on a plate, put the chicken and sauce drizzled over the top with cucumber, carrot, cucumber and red pepper in a nice pile on top of that. Sprinkle with cilantro. I lightly sauteed some broccoli with the carrot to put on top as well. I seem to tolerate cooked carrots better than raw ones).It was fantastic! I usually can only handle one serving of left overs after a meal before I'm done with a meal for awhile. I enjoyed eating this for days! I also add hot pepper flakes on top since I love spice.

{Gluten and Dairy Free} Grilled Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad

1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (optional)
Salt and pepper, to taste
½ cup plus 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
12 ounces gluten-free pasta
2 ½ cups fresh basil leaves
2 cloves garlic
¾ teaspoon salt (the salt makes up for the lack of Parmesan cheese)
1 red bell pepper, cut in half and seeded
1 zucchini, cut in half
6 mushrooms
1 small red onion, thickly sliced
Daiya mozzarella cheese shreds (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400° F. If using, season the chicken with salt and pepper and drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil. Cook the chicken in the oven or on the grill until cooked through to an internal temperature of 165° F, 15 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water. Set the timer for a few minutes less than the package directions say and check the pasta. If it is still too firm, check it again in 30 seconds. Keep checking every 30 seconds until it is just right. Drain. Reserve 1 to 2 tablespoons of the starchy water from the boiled pasta when you drain it. This will help the pesto stick. While the pasta is boiling, blend the basil, garlic and ¾ teaspoon salt in the blender. Drizzle the ½ cup olive oil in as it blends. Grill the vegetables on a grill onion a grill pan until charred and cooked, but with some firmness left. You may also place them on foil on the top rack of an oven and broil. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of the pesto to the noodles, depending on how strong you like it. I try some of the noodles to make sure it's the right amount. Add more as needed. It's easy to overdo it (see note). Add pasta water, if needed. Cut the veggies and chicken (if using) in roughly 1-inch cubes and toss with the pasta. Taste and season with salt and pepper, as needed. Sprinkle with mozzarella “cheese”. Note: You can freeze the rest of the pesto in ice cube trays for later. Transfer the frozen cubes of pesto to a freezer bag. It makes an easy dinner later and tastes great in scrambled eggs! You should have plenty left over. 

{Gluten and Dairy Free} Mac and Cheese. . .Ready to Heat!

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Have you heard of Amy's products in the freezer of Fred Meyer or health food stores? They recently came out with a soy, dairy, gluten and egg free Macaroni and Cheese. (not to be confused with their organic wheat and dairy meal that looks similar!) My husband brought it home one day from a shopping trip. Initially I was quite skeptical. First of all, can I really eat this? I looked at the ingredients and it looked like I COULD. Second of all, is it going to be so different from the real deal that it will just make me miss the "real" thing even more? To my shock, the answer was no. This stuff can be popped in the microwave like a freezer meal. It is creamy and cheesy. The noodles are not mushy.  It's an allergy-free dream! Every time I eat it I am pleasantly surprised. This is something great to have on hand in case you want something quick, or just want your taste buds to thank you. Go here to find out more. Here are the ingredients: No Trans Fat/No Added MSG/No Preservatives (Vegan) Organic rice pasta (organic rice flour, water), filtered water, DaiyaTM Vegan Cheddar-Style Cheeze (filtered water, tapioca and/or arrowroot flour, expeller pressed high oleic safflower oil, coconut oil, pea protein, salt, inactive yeast, vegan natural flavors, vegetable glycerin, xanthan gum, citric acid, annatto), organic expeller pressed safflower and/or sunflower oil, organic sweet rice flour, sea salt, nutritional yeast, mustard powder.

{Gluten and Dairy Free} Crunchy Taco Cups

Tasty on Buzzfeed has these adorable and fun Crunchy Taco Cups. I have made them gluten and dairy free based on my 10 years of altering recipes. Watch this super fun video to inspire you. I love these videos!

INGREDIENTS

Servings: 12 taco cups

1 pound lean ground beef
1 envelope (3 tablespoons) gfree taco seasoning (to make your own go here)
6 ounces diced tomatoes
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles
1 1/2 cups Daiya cheddar cheese
6 large brown rice tortillas

top with Veganaise for sour cream

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 375º F.
2. In a large skillet, brown the ground beef and drain any remaining fat. Transfer to a bowl.
3. Add taco seasoning, tomatoes and green chiles to the ground beef and stir to combine.
4. Cut flour tortillas into a square shape and cut each into 4 smaller equally sized square pieces.
5. Generously coat a standard size muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.
6. Line each cup of prepared muffin tin with a tortilla sheet.
7. Add 1.5 tablespoons taco mixture. Top with 1 tablespoon of cheese. Press down and add another layer of tortilla sheet, taco mixture, and a final layer of cheese.
8. Lightly brush the top edges of the tortilla with cooking oil.
9. Bake 18-20 minutes until cups are heated through and edges are golden brown.
10. Enjoy!

Sweet Thai Grilled Pizza: Gluten, Egg and Dairy Free!

There is a commercial that has been taunting me. It's for Papa Murphy's Chicken Thai deLite Pizza. I'm guessing this is because the only thing I love more than thai food is pizza. Putting them together sounds positively magical. I couldn't take the pressure anymore and decided to make my own gluten and dairy free version. If you want to make this super easy you can buy Thai Kitchen Sweet Red Chili Sauce, and  These Pizza Crusts (or a bread mix that you turn into pizza crust) to put the grilled toppings on.  If you have a little time on your hands and want to make this inexpensively, here is the long version.  It turned out even better than expected. I would say it's definitely magical! I am posting this at the allergy free wednesdays recipe bananza here. 

3 Special Notes: 

• The Sweet Thai Sauce recipe makes a huge amount. It tastes like sweet and sour sauce so this is a great opportunity to freeze what you don't use for instant sweet and sour chicken!
• These crusts are perfect for making in advance. You can roll it into a ball and put it in a baggie in the fridge for later, or the freezer for much later. I'd suggest doubling this recipe for easy pizza in the future!
• I use the Daiya cheese in moderation since the price tag is nothing to sneeze at. So it doesn't go bad, I throw it in a ziploc and freeze it. This way we can sprinkle some here and there (frozen)without breaking the budget!

This makes 3 small pizzas.
Crust
1/2 cup millet
1 and 1/2 cup brown rice flour
2/3 cup tapioca starch
1 and 1/3 cup potato starch
2 packages gluten free yeast
2 tsp xanthan gum
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
4 egg whites slightly beaten (I used 4 eggs worth of Ener-G egg replacer)
4 TBS olive oil plus more for brushing
1 and 1/4 cup  warm water
optional: GF corn meal for dusting crust

Other ingredients
Sweet Chili Thai Sauce (to make your own see recipe below)
1 red pepper (grilled and cubed)
5 chicken tenders (cooked and cubed)
1 zucchini (grilled and cubed)
1 red onion (grilled and cubed)
3 green onions (grilled and chopped)
chopped basil for topping (this is a must!)
1 cup daiya mozzerella non-dairy cheese

Grilling the veggies really makes this dish! We grill them in large chunks and then cut them into chunks. 

Preheat oven to 400F
1. In a large bowl mix flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Add the egg whites (or replacer), olive oil and water. Using a wooden spoon beat until the dough pulls away from the edges of the bowl.

2. Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces and  add a bit of flour until it resembles the texture of "regular" (wheat) pizza dough.  Press or roll into the size of three separate pizzas. I put them on wax paper, heavily dusted with brown rice flour. You should be able to lift them off the wax paper without too much trouble. If you can't, add a little more flour to the outside of the dough.

3. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

4. Put on a greased pan in the oven that is preheated to 400F. Brush with olive oil, and sprinkle GF corn meal on top. Bake for 10-15 minutes until fairly firm but not brown.

5. Smother crusts in sweet chili sauce (I omitted the red hot peppers for my kids' sake), and top with grilled chopped chicken, zucchini, red pepper, red onion,basil and green onion. Sprinkle with non-dairy daiya mozzarella cheese  . Heat the grill to low heat. Put the half cooked pizza on for 5-10 minutes making sure the crust does not get too brown. The key with this gluten-free crust is cooking it in the oven first so it is firm enough to go on the grill.

Make Your Own Sweet Chili Sauce 

1 cup water
1 cup rice vinegar
1 cup sugar (or pure maple syrup or sugar free alternative)
2 tsp ginger root, minced
1 tsp garlic, minced
2 tsp ketchup (or 1 tsp tomato paste)
5 tsp corn starch (mixed in a little bit of water before adding to the pot) Add more corn starch in water if needed.
2 tsp hot chile pepper, minced (I omit this and add red pepper flakes later to my personal serving)

Pour water and vinegar into a sauce pan, and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in sugar, ginger, galric, chile pepper,and ketchup; simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in cornstarch. Remove saucepan from stove to cool. Then transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate until needed. 

What's For Dinner Tonight?{Gluten and Dairy Free} Porcupines

When I married my husband this is something that came with the package.  .  .his love for a dish his mother makes affectionately called "porcupines" (due to the rice poking out of the balls of meat like quills). I adapted it for our GF lifestyle (it originally uses Cambell's tomato soup). My kids cheer whenever we make it.

I am posting this on a group called Allergy-free Wednesdays at glutenfreelyfrugal.com this week (here). For more recipe ideas, you should check it out!

Porcupines 
1-1.5 lbs ground beef
1 small can of tomato paste
1/2 cup uncooked rice
2 TBS onion chopped or dried onion
salt and pepper

Mix ground beef, rice, salt, pepper and onion in a medium bowl. Form into small balls like meatballs and put in a saute pan. Turn on medium. Put tomato paste and 1 can of water into another bowl and stir. Pour over porcupine balls. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put a lid on. Reduce heat to medium low and let simmer for 15-20 minutes until they are cooked through.  We serve these with mashed potatoes (using olive oil and chicken stock instead of milk and butter), and oven roasted broccoli.

{Gluten and Dairy Free} Inexpensive Spaghetti Sauce

I like to add onion, red pepper, julienne sliced zucchini, and mushrooms to my sauce. Here are the basic ingredients. It's amazing how inexpensive it is. We like it chunky, but you can put it in the blender and make it smooth if you prefer.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Makes 8 servings

14.5oz canned tomatoes

1 red pepper chopped

1 zucchini sliced

8 oz can tomato paste

1 and 1/2 cups water

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small chopped onion

2 TBS italian seasoning

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

3 TBS Pomegranate juice or 2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar

optional: basil for garnishing, and/or 1 cup chopped spinach, or 1 pound browned ground beef

Directions for Sauce:

Put 1 TBS olive oil in frying pan. Add onion and veggies.   Add garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, water and Italian seasoning. Stir and simmer. Add 2 splashes (2-3 TBS) of either pomegranate juice, red wine, or balsamic vinegar.   If you want a smooth sauce, put the ingredients in the blender before adding them to your cooked ground beef and walla!

Italian Seasoning (here)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons dried basil
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons dried thyme
• 2 tablespoons dried marjoram
• 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
• 1 tablespoon dried sage

Directions

1. In a food processor, combine basil, oregano, thyme, marjoram, rosemary and sage. Blend for 1 minute, or until desired consistency is achieved.

Everything You Need To Know About Stir-Frying

I love this graphic from Cooksmarts.com. It gives a perfect run down for making any kind of amazing stir fry!  I would use coconut aminos or gluten-free soy sauce instead of regular soy sauce since it contains wheat.  You can also use coconut sugar instead of brown sugar as it has a similar taste. You could make a months worth of meals with this graphic alone! You can leave off the nuts, peanuts or sesame! Maybe try sunflower seeds instead!

The Secrets of Rice Pasta

Have you ever cooked rice pasta and ended up with a pile of mush? Or noodles that were soggy enough it was hard to choke them down? I discovered that timing is EVERYTHING with rice pasta. The amount of water you use is also really important. You need to have a ratio of 1:6 of pasta to water. That's a lot of water! But it will keep the pasta from sticking together. As I said in another post, I buy Trader Joes rice pasta because it's about half the price of other ones. And if I cook it just right, my gluten tolerant kids gobble them down without thinking twice.  For example, Trader Joes pasta says 8 minutes. I set the timer for 8 minutes and then watch it like a hawk. I try one at 8 minutes and if it doesn't taste chewy like a wheat noodle, I wait just a little bit more (maybe 30 seconds) and try again. Try not to get distracted, because that can make you miss the window of opportunity here. I keep trying them until they are just right. Another tip is adding some oil after you drop the noodles and stirring them once or twice to keep them from sticking together (and they like to stick). Rachael Ray says the best time to salt the pasta is when you drop it, so I do that as well. A tablespoon or two is a good amount. (2 for a lot of water, 1 for not so much).  Keep the temperature hot and bring the pasta back up to a boil before you lower the temperature to medium and let it simmer.  Before you drain the pasta take out a little of the starch from the water. Put this back on the pasta after you drain and rinse it. It will help your sauce stick to the pasta. So, drain it and then rinse it with cold water. You will see the pasta perk right up after you rinse it.  Rice pasta doesn't re-heat the best, but getting your hand wet and drizzling the water over the pasta before you nuke it definitely helps.

Note: If you keep track of how much time it takes for that brand of pasta, and write it down, the next time you buy that kind you can more easily set a timer and know it will be done. It really varies by pasta, and the directions are often deceiving!

EASY {Gluten and Dairy Free} Colorful Alfredo Pasta

My kids and husband devoured this. It's like a colorful chicken alfredo. I wanted to record it and share it before I forgot it! I posted this here at allergy free wednesdays. It's a fun recipe round up!
5 boneless skinless Chicken breast strips
1 roma tomato diced
1 bunch of asparagus (you may use cooked broccoli or peas instead)
3/4 package of brown rice pasta (I choose Trader Joe's GF spaghetti noodles for this recipe)
6 slices of bacon cooked and crumbled (I use Farmland brand)
3 cloves garlic (finely diced or pressed with a garlic press)
salt and pepper
3/4 tsp dried basil or 3/4 TBS chopped fresh basil
GF  flour mix (I like to use  the ratio: 1 cup brown rice to 2/3 cup potato to 1/3 cup tapioca)
rice milk (I use unsweetened Kirkland brand)
flat leaf (italian) parsley to garnish (if desired)

Saute chicken until done in a sauce pan with a little bit of olive oil, salt and pepper. Put the water on to boil for the pasta and the asparagus. Grab both ends of the asparagus and bend it (like you are trying to snap it). Where it naturally breaks is where the hard part stops. Save the ends with the leafy tops, and throw out the hard stems leftover. When water comes to a boil, boil the asparagus for about 3 minutes. (turn down heat to med-low after it is in the pot). Remove and set aside. Meanwhile, start the white sauce. Add 2 TBS olive oil and the garlic to 4 TBS GF rice flour in a saucepan. Stir until it is a paste. Put over a medium-low heat. Slowly add a little rice milk and stir. Wait until it thickens. Add a little more rice milk. Keep doing this for 5-7 minutes until you have a nice sauce consistency. Add the basil, chopped tomatoes and cooked crumbled bacon. Stir in the cooked chicken (cubed into 1 inch pieces). Cook the pasta as directed. For the secrets to rice pasta go here. Combine white sauce, asparagus, bacon, tomato, rice pasta and chicken until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste (I add a little extra salt to make up for it not being cheesy. But since there is bacon, I'd be careful to not over do it!) Garnish with flat leaf parsley or regular parsley if desired. 

What's for Dinner Tonight? Lime-in-the-Coconut Drumsticks

This comes from Rachel Ray's latest magazine. I made this the other day and was pleasantly surprised. I bet you could sub pomegranate juice for the lime if you have a citrus sensitivity. This gave the chicken SO much flavor, and left quite a memorable impression.

3 garlic cloves crushed
3 TBS chopped ginger
1 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts
1 cup cilantro
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (I left this out for my spice timid family, and added red pepper flakes to mine later)
1/3 cup honey
1 cup coconut milk
1/3 cup lime juice plus 1 tsp grated zest
10 skin on chicken drumsticks

In blender, combine all ingredients except chicken; puree. Cut 2 deep slits in each drumstick; marinated in coconut mixture, at least 1 hour. Transfer chicken to rack placed on foil lined baking sheet; season. Bake at 450F for 20 minutes; flip and bake until cooked through, 10 minutes. Serves 6.

royalty free photo

I would suggest serving this over jasmine rice, garnished with scallions, cilantro and toasted sesame seeds. And serving oven roasted broccoli (in olive oil) on the side.

What's For Dinner Tonight? {Gluten and Dairy Free} Halibut with Cherry Tomato Salsa with Cucumber Cilantro Sauce

When I decide to make this meal I look forward to it all day long.  It's adapted from one of my favorite "non-allergy-friendly" cookbooks called "Isabel's Cantina".(see it on the side bar of my blog. Some are naturally gluten-free, but many need to be adapted) It's an asian-latin american fusion. Basically it's a party in your mouth.  The flavors are so unpredictable, but the combination really is delightful. My husband doesn't even like cilantro, but he loves this dish.

• 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes halved (I used grape tomatoes)
• 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced (I lightly sautee it before adding it to salsa)
• 1/4 cup chopped mint
• 4 TBS olive oil
• kosher salt
• four-6oz skinless halibut fillets (or cod or tilapia)
• optional: 1 to 2 habanero chiles, to taste, halved, seeded and thinly sliced. (warning this is a HOT pepper. Instead I omit the pepper and sprinkle mine with red pepper flakes. That way my family can have theirs without being overcome with spice).
• Cucumber Cilantro sauce (see below)
• I added 1/4 coarsely chopped yellow pepper

Preheat oven to 350F

In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, onion, and mint. Drizzle with 2 TBS of the olive oil and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt. Toss gently to combine.

Lightly season the fillets on both sides with salt. Heat the remaining 2 TBS oil in a large saute pan over med-high heat. Place the halibut fillets in the hot pan.  Brown for 2 minutes on each side, then transfer to the oven and bake until opaque throughout, 8 to 10 minutes.

Put the halibut fillets on plates and top with a scoop of the tomato salsa. Spoon some of the cucumber-cilantro sauce around the fish. Serve the remaining sauce on the side.

Cucumber Cilantro sauce

• 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 cup peeled cucumber
• 1/2 cup lemon juice (about 4 lemons). I use pomegranate juice instead.
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Puree the cilantro, cucumber, lemon juice (or pomegranate), olive oil and salt in a food processor or blender until almost smooth with just a bit of texture. Cover and refrigerate until serving or up to 2 days. (I sometimes freeze it if I have extra).  This sauce is nice and creamy.

I serve this with rice, and a veggie like sauteed cabbage.

What's for Dinner Tonight? {Gluten and Dairy Free} Ham, Kale and Red Pepper Risotto

My kids loved this. I loved it because anything with the nutrients of kale and red pepper baked in makes me feel great eating it. This recipe would be great without the ham, too, if you are vegan.
2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
2 cups rice
salt and pepper
1/4 cup white wine
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup water
2 and 1/2 cups kale, chopped into 1 inch pieces
1/4 cup chopped red pepper
1/2 tsp McCormick smoked paprika
1 package smoked ham (already cooked)

1. Preheat oven to 375F. In a saucepan heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened (about 4 min). Add the garlic and rice, season with 1 and 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Stir the rice in the pan until it is toasted. Add the wine and cook for a minute more. Mix in the the broth, water, kale, and red pepper. Transfer to an oven safe baking dish. Bake uncovered for 35 minutes.

2.Take out the risotto and  stir in the chopped ham. Bake uncovered for 5-10 minutes or until the rice is cooked through.l

I am posting this at Allergy-free Wednesdays.

Easy {Gluten and Dairy Free} French Onion Soup in the Crockpot

Put the following ingredients in the crockpot and cook on low for 8 hours.

2 cartons of beef broth (I use GF Pacific brand)
3 white onions sliced
1 cup green onions chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 TBS GF Worcestershire Sauce (if desired)

It is fairly sweet so amping up the salt will help! Thyme would be a nice addition to this soup. Garlic would, too!  My favorite part is toasting some GF bread and melting some Daiya Swiss Cheese on Top! We paired this with grilled steak and a fresh salad. I am posting this at Allergy-free Wednesdays.