Porcupine Meatballs that won't make you porky!

This recipe is kid friendly and fun for them to help you make! Not only are they delicious, they have whole grains and are low fat! Make them even healthier by adding chopped, peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms and sprinkle with a little cheese because cheese just makes everything better!

Porcupine Meatballs

Ingredients

1 lb of ground chicken or turkey

¼ cup of uncooked brown rice

1 Tbsp of chopped parsley

2 Tbsp’s of finely chopped onions

½ tsp of salt

10 – 12 oz can of tomato sauce

½ cup water

1 tsp of Worcestershire sauce

Pepper to taste

Directions

1.) Combine meat, rice, parsley, onions, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce and mix well. Roll out meatballs (same size so they cook evenly).

2.)Brown the meatballs on all sides in a skillet.

3.)Pour the tomato sauce and water over the meatballs and allow to simmer covered for about 30 minutes.

4.)You will be able to tell they are cooked when the rice is soft and pokes out of the meatballs.

Taquitos, Corn Dogs, and Potato Pizzas ..OH MY!

Here's three easy and delicious ways to cheer on your favorite team for the Super Bowl. Believe me.. no one will miss their gluten with these!

Taquitos

Ingredients

1 (12 oz.)  can of cooked chopped chicken

12 corn tortillas

½ cup of salsa

½ tsp of paprika

¼ tsp of sazon or adobo seasoning

¼ tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp onion powder

¾ cup of shredded cheese ( I used cheddar but pepper jack or Monterey Jack would be great too!)

Directions

1.     Put 3 tortillas at a time in the microwave on a paper towel for approximately 30 seconds. The goal is to get them soft so they can be rolled easily.

2.    Mix together all the other ingredients and spoon about 1 tablespoon of filling onto the edge of a corn tortilla and roll is up tightly.

3.    Place tacquitos in a greased  baking dish and spray  the top of each with cooking spray.

4.    Cook on 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until the tortilla is hard to the touch.

Corn Dogs

Ingredients

2 eggs
1 ¾ cup Corn Flour ( I used Maseca brand but most brands are gluten free. Find it in the Hispanic food section of the super market)

1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. paprika
¾ cup milk
Hot dogs cut into bite size pieces

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1.    Mix eggs and milk together with a fork.

2.     Add remaining ingredients.

3.    Dip hot dog in batter, you may have to form the batter around the hot dog pieces with your hands.

4.    Deep fry in oil and until golden brown.

5.    Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

6.    You may have to slightly adjust milk or corn flour to find a consistency you like for batter depending on the brand of flour you use.

 

Potato Pizzas

Directions

1.    Cut potatoes into ¼ thick rounds.

2.    Spray a non stick pan and spray each potato round.

3.    Sprinkle each potato with a small amount of garlic powder, onion powder, and salt.

4.   Cook on 400 degrees until potatoes are soft and tops begin to brown.

5.    Spoon a enough tomato sauce on each potato to cover the top with a thin layer.

6.   Sprinkle shredded mozzarella on each piece.

7.   Place chopped pepperoni on each piece of potato.

8.    Cook for another few minutes until cheese is melted and pepperoni cooks.

Football Schmootball!

I will be the first to admit that I am not a fan of football. I know this confession may not win me any popularity points but I feel the need to be honest with you! I am going to a superbowl party (against my better judgement) so how can I make this fun for me? By cooking g-free football fare of course! I will be spending my Sunday whipping up a variety of g-free treats for football fans and ..well..un-fans to enjoy and of course I will be writing it all up for you!So, Yay whatever team you like and get whatever it is that you people get when you win the SuperBowl! Stay tuned and stay fab!

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.