It's apple season folks!!!

A simple way to help you in your gluten free quest is to eat seasonal one ingredient foods ( for example, a fresh apple has one ingredient.. APPLE!) or you cook with a combination of foods that have one or few ingredients. It gets murky when you have the long list of unpronouncable ingredients, gluten comes in many forms and goes by many names. Yestarday, in starvation desparation, I picked up a salad from Wendy's. Pecans, strawberries and grilled chicken. Seemed pretty legit so I didn't really question it. I was reading the ingredient list of the pecans ( why it isn't just pecans is beyond me!) and there was wheat flour in them... sigh.. lettuce and strawberries for lunch. Let this be a lesson to us all.. READ ingredients even if it is something gluten has no business being in. I am thankful I read the label, mainly out of habit but I saved myself from a week of intestinal distress, mouth sores and body aches. Anyway, I try to instill the importance of seasonal, one ingredient eating to my students. Today we made baked apples. So easy, healthy and the kids really enjoyed themselves. This is also a great starter for parents that may not have cooked with their kids or are a little reluctant.

Baked Apples

2 apples
• 2 tsp. butter
• 2 tsp. honey
• raisins and/or chopped dates
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

1. Slice apples to about 1/4 inch pieces.
2. Dab a small amount of the butter on each slice.
3. Drizzle or spread the honey on each apple slice.
4. Sprinkle with raisins and cinnamon.
5. Place apples in a microwave safe baking dish and microwave for about 2 - 3 minutes.

 

 

JuicyJerk Chicken

One of the things I had to get used to in my g free life was the prep that goes into daily eating. I make my breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday. It can get tedious! I teach 6th grade Family and Consumer Science, so after a long day at work, I want to do minimal prep for dinner. Minimum prep with maxium results of course. I am a big fan of seasonings and rubs that I can throw on meat and cook with little effort. Enter Badia Jerk Seasoning.

So easy  and so good. It is not a spicy Jerk seasoning but aromatic and delish. Adding a lil Jamacian to your meal is as simple as rubbing it on the meat and letting it marinate for an hour or two. The longer it sits the more flavor it will have. I rub the jerk seasoning on chicken breast, put a small amount of olive oil in a saute pan and cook until ready. Go really Jamacian with a side of Bammy. Bammy is a biscuit made out of casava flour. You can find it in most markets that sell Carribean foods. If you can't find it, make my cheesey biscuits to go with your chicken!

 

Sweet Potato and Turnip Gratin

This dish just reminds me of the fall season that is right around the corner. It's warm and cozy and down right  delicious. We all know the benefits of eating sweet potatoes, but they tend to be a little one note in the flavor department. When you pair them with the bitterness of turnips, they really shine! Turnips may look like a pale, harmless root but they are a little dietary fiber powerhouse in their own right, they have over 3 grams in a medium size turnip. Fiber will keep you full longer, making it less likely to snack; which is turn will help you stay slim. Up the fiber factor by adding some spinach to this dish. 

Turnip and Sweet Potato Gratin

Ingredients

2 large turnips, cut into 2 inch cubes

3 large sweet potatoes, cut into 2 inch cubes

Salt

Pepper

¼ cup corn starch

2 TBSP of butter

1 cup of chicken or vegetable broth (gluten free)

1 cup of shredded cheese ( Mozzarella,  Munester cheeses seem to work best)

Directions:
 Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a square baking dish, arrange turnips and sweet potatoes in a single layer. Sprinkle the layer with half of the corn starch. Create another layer and sprinkle with corn starch.
 Dot pieces of the butter on the top layer and pour chicken stock into the dish. Cover with foil and cook until vegetables are tender, about 20 – 25 minutes.

           Remove pan and sprinkle cheese over the dish. Return to oven and cook until cheese is golden and bubbly, about 10 minutes. Allow to sit before serving so sauce can thicken.