Coconut Curry Chicken.. not even a little spicy!

Coconut Curry Chicken

Ingredients

2lbs of chicken thighs, skinned and fat trimmed

3 cloves of garlic

2 TBSP olive oil

2 cubes of herbox chicken builion

2 cups of water

1 can 8oz of coconut milk

1 tsp curry

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp salt

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp chili powder

1 medium onion, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

2 large, cut into small strips

                                                Directions

1.     In a large sauce pot, add the olive oil and and heat. Once heated heated, add the onion, celery, pepper and garlic, cook until browned. Add chicken to pot and sear on each side for several minutes.

2.     In a separate pot, add the water and bring to a boil. Add chicken buillion and cook until desolved.

3.     Combine the chicken stock in the large pot with the chicken and vegatables. Add curry, cumin, salt, paprika ,and  chili powder. Cook covered on low heat for 40 minutes.

4.     Add coconut milk to large pot and cook for another 10 minutes.

5.     Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving, this will also thicken sauce.

Food for Thought

·       You can tell the olive oil is heated properly by adding a drop of water to the oil. If it sizzles, it’s ready!

·       This dish can be made with deboned chicken or bone in. Deboned chicken tends to cost more, but a bone in thigh doesn’t have small pieces that will break off while cooking.

·       Feel free to add more curry if you’re a curry fan! This can be a good introductory dish for people that haven’t eaten curry before. It’s not spicy and the flavor isn’t as intense.

Easy Cheesy Biscuits

I very rarely experience feelings of "gluten envy", but when I do it is usually caused by a certain chain restaurants chessy biscuits. For those of you that aren't familiar with the term, "gluten envy", it is when you are jealous of someone's ability to eat gluten containing foods, i.e. the fragrant garlic bread basket put on the table at the restaurant as soon as you sit down and you are STARVING. But, you know the ramifications of eating said gluten so instead you try to rationalize all the calories your saving by not indulging in the bread basket......gluten envy. Anyway, I have tried several cheesy biscuit recipes and after a little tweeking and adding and subtracting I think this one is just right.

Easy Cheesy Biscuits

Ingredients

*Makes about 12 – 14 biscuits*

2 cups or 1 whole box of Gluten Free Bisquick

¼ tsp of garlic powder

1/3 cup of butter or margarine

2/3 cup low-fat milk

¾ cup shredded cheese (I used cheddar but get creative! Use any cheese you’d like!)

1/8 tsp salt

1/8 tsp oregano

Directions

1.       Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2.     Combine Bisquick, garlic powder, salt, oregano and butter using a fork. Then stir in milk, cheese and eggs.

3.      Drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

4.     Cook about 8 – 10 minutes or until they are golden in color.

Why is gluten free bread so expensive?

I am a naturally inquisitive person, I always want to know why things are the way they are. Here’s a question that has been plaguing me for some time now. What is up with gluten free bread? For the most part I try to make all my foods from scratch but in today’s busy world I don’t always have the time. but as soon as I ring up my pre-made gluten free bread I am reminded how costly it is! So, being the curious cat I am, I wanted to know WHY!? I set out to find the answer and hopefully the answer will lead to a solution. Now, to be clear, I am not opposed to purchasing gluten free bread. I applaud companies for making the lives of the G-free hassle free, we have it hard enough, right? However, most gluten free breads leave a lot to be desired in taste and size. According to Quizville on Amazon the cost of the bread is more due to low demand. And companies need to make their profit so they mark of their prices…understandable but it that it? If so, I am positive that we can figure out a cheaper, more delicious version of the store bought kind. Another site claims that the flours used to make the gluten free breads are more costly, so what if you make them yourself? I will continue to explore this topic and others in order to make our lives easier, less expensive and most of all more delicious! I’ll keep you posted! Until then stay fab!

Faux-Ghetti Pesto Spaghetti Squash

Here's a recipe that is delicious, filled with veggies and inexpensive. Spaghetti Squash is a great staple to have your house, it stays fresh for a long time!

Pesto Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients

1 Spaghetti Squash cut lengthwise and seeds removed

1 small white onion chopped

2 cloves of garlic minced

1 TBSP of olive oil

1 cup of mushrooms sliced

½ cup of chopped tomatoes

3 TBSP of pesto

½ cup of parmesan

½ cup of shredded mozzarella

1 tsp. of salt

½ tsp. of chili powder

½ tsp. of Italian seasoning

Directions

1.       Boil spaghetti squash halves for about 20 minutes in an inch of boiling water. Use a fork to release the spaghetti like strands and set aside.

2.       Sautee onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, and garlic until tender.

3.       Add salt, chili powder, Italian seasoning, and pesto to sautee. Mix well.

4.       Add spaghetti squash and cheeses to sautee pan. Stirring frequently till cheese is melted.

The Real Deal Stroganoff

Who doesn't love creamy Stroganoff? Here's a g-free and lower calorie version of the original. Hope you enjoy!

Stay Fab!

Real Deal Stroganoff

Ingredients

1 pound of ground turkey

1 pound of gluten free pasta

¾ cup of light sour cream

½ a minced onion

1 can of Progresso Gluten Free Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 stalk of chopped celery (optional)

3 tablespoons of fresh dill

1 tablespoon  olive oil

½ tsp of salt

Pinch of pepper

Directions

1.       Prepare gluten free pasta as instructed on package.

2.      Heat olive oil in a deep skillet and brown onions and meat and optional celery.

3.     Stir in can of cream of mushroom soup and allow to simmer for 5- 10 mins.

4.     Combine cooked pasta and meat mixture and allow to simmer for 5 more minutes.

5.      Stir in dill and sour cream.

6.     Allow to stand 2 – 3 mins prior to serving to thicken.

Dining out G-free.....

According to Celiac-Disease.com:

People with CD dine out 80% less than they used to before diagnosis and believe less than 10% of eating establishments have a ‘very good’ or ‘good’ understanding of GF diets.

I love going out to eat! Having some culinary knowledge, I am usually able to pick which items are unsafe on the menu. However, I too end up "glutening myself" from time to time! I have been "glutened" off of a G-free menu, and after speaking with the server who assured me all was safe. So what is a G-free foodie to do? Throw caution to the wind and regret it for days/weeks? No way! Assume no one understands what gluten is when you go out to eat. Give them the list of ingredients that are not safe for you, tell them you have a "severe!" allergy, ask to read labels, and most importantly speak to the chef. Most chefs understand that you can not eat bread but may not make the connection between gluten and the flour they used to thicken their sauce. The chef wants you to come back to the restaurant so they will help you! You are your own best advocate! You are not being annoying, you are educating.

Got a G- Free Kid? Not a problem! Try these simple and delicious g -free Parmesan Chicken Nuggets

My heart goes out to the parents of gluten free kids! There are so many convenient "kids foods" out there and so few few that are gluten free. Here's a super simple recipe for today's g-free parent. And yes, they freeze well! Just pop them in the oven or toaster over at 425 degrees for 5 - 10 minutes.

Parmesan Nuggets

Ingredients

1 egg beaten

4-5 thawed chicken tenders

1 ¾ rice chex cereal

1 tablespoon of parmesan cheese

¼ tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp onion powder

1/8 tsp of Italian seasoning

Directions

1.       Use a food processor to make the cereal into a fine crumb. If you would like to make this with your children, place the cereal in a Ziploc bag and allow them to crush the cereal up with a rolling pin.

2.       Mix all seasoning into the bread crumbs.

3.       Cut chicken tender into 1 inch pieces .

4.       Coat the chicken pieces in the beaten egg.

5.       Press the chicken pieces into the rice crumb mixture. Be sure all sides of the chicken are coated.

6.       Spray a baking tray with oil and spread chicken pieces in a single layer.

7.       Spray the tops of the nuggets.

8.       Bake on 500 degrees for  12- 15 mins. Flip nuggets half way through cooking time.

9.       Allow nuggets to get a golden crust on the outside (spraying them with cooking spray or oil will allow them to turn golden.

**If you want to make this recipe egg-free; replace the egg with a tablespoon of olive oil. Simply pour the oil into the crumb mixture and mix until the crumbs look like wet sand. Then press the chicken pieces into the crumb mixture.****

For a super easy dipping sauce, mix 1 part mustard to 2 parts honey.

Here's a super easy G-Free Tip

Use cornstarch as your thickener for gravy, and sauces. When a recipe calls for you to make a roux to thicken using flour, replace it with the same amount of cornstarch. Viola! Easily g-free!

Stuffed Eggplant

This recipe is yummy and easy to alter for different tastes. For starters, if you are watching your waistline, either use less of or ditch the cheese (or you could also use a low fat cheese). It's also a good meal to make for vegetarians. It's so filling you will not miss the meat! Eggplant is definitely a faux meat as far as I am concerned, anyway.. Manga Manga!

Stuffed Eggplant

Ingredients

2 Eggplants

3 Cloves of garlic

1 Medium yellow or white onion, chopped

2 Tomatoes, chopped

2 TBSP of olive oil

½ Cup mushrooms, chopped

1 Green pepper, chopped

1 tsp. of garlic powder

1 tsp. of onion powder

1 tsp. of salt

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

4 Fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped

¼ Cup of grated parmesan cheese

½ Cup of mozzarella cheese

Directions

1.      Preheat oven to 425 degrees, Cut eggplant in half. Scoop insides of eggplant out and set aside. Put hollowed out eggplant in oven for 20 minutes or until soften.

2.      Heat olive oil in a large skillet; add onions, garlic, tomatoes, mushrooms, basil leaves. Coarsely chop eggplant and add to skillet. Add garlic and onion powder, salt, Italian seasoning, and parmesan cheese. Cook until soft.

3.      Take hollowed eggplant out of oven and fill with the vegetable mixture. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella over each eggplant half. Return to oven and cook until cheese melts.

Food for Thought

·         Eggplant is an excellent source of fiber, vitamins, and is very reasonably priced.

·         Get creative by experimenting with rice, polenta, quinoa, and ground meats. Which are all delicious in this recipe.

If we're not willing to settle for junk living, we certainly shouldn't settle for junk food.  ~Sally Edwards

New Orleans Red Rice

I am a busy person, just like everyone else.. I like my food delicious, healthy, ready in under 30 mins, Gluten Free, and preferably requiring few dishes and tools ( i loathe washing dishes!) I also feed a fiance who is not G-free and I don't want him to miss the gluten in his meals. This recipe pleases everyone! Its quick, easy, inexpensive and delicious!
Stay Fab! G-free J

New Orleans Red Rice
Serves 4


Ingredients
1 whole kielbasa (there are many varieties that are G-free, I use Parkview, found at Aldi's Supermarket)
1 medium yellow onion  diced
1 diced bell pepper ( whatever color you like)
1 celery stalk chopped
1 cup of cooked and cleaned shrimp (you can buy precooked/cleaned shrimp in the freezer section of most stores and they are pretty inexpensive)
2 minced garlic cloves
14oz can of diced tomatoes ( I use Happy Harvest brand,its G-free just be sure to read the label of whatever brand you choose!)
1/4 teaspoon Chili Powder
1/2 teaspoon Paprika
1/2 cup of water
1 3/4 cup brown Minute Rice
Spray Olive Oil

Directions

1. Spray Olive Oil onto the bottom of a deep skillet. Once the skillet is hot at the Kielbasa and cook until it is brown (about 5-10 minutes)
2. Add onions,peppers, garlic, and celery and cook until vegetables soften (about 5 - 10 minutes)
3. Add canned diced tomatoes (juice and all), shrimp, chili powder, paprika, water and brown rice.
4. Simmer covered until rice has completly cooked ( about 10 minutes).
5. Enjoy!