Thank GAWD its not potatoes!

I recently returned from my honeymoon. A week away from my celiac safe kitchen and trusting perfect strangers to prepare my 3 meals a day (I suppose it was really like 5 meals a day but who's counting?) Hello celiac anxiety! For the amount of meals I ate, I did pretty well if you don't count the day I didn't leave my fabulous five star bathroom, but I'll spare you the details! Anyway, I tend to stick to potatoes when I go out to eat and after a weeks worth of eating potatoes, I am done with a capital D! So I de - tatered myself when I came home. I experimented with other sides and came up with some yummy stuff I can't wait to share with you. Hopefully, absence makes the heart grow founder and I will be able to eat a potato soon. In the meantime, enjoy my roasted turnip recipe. A turnip is basically a big ugly (sorry turnips!) root vegetable that is high in vitamin C. Turnips are also really affordable and have a long shelf life for storing.

Parmesan Roasted Turnips

Ingredients

4 medium sized turnips peeled and cut into sections

 1/8 tsp of paprika 

1/4 tsp of ground nutmeg

2 TBSPs of Olive Oil

1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and Pepper 

Directions

• Preheat oven to 475 degrees. 
• Combine the turnips with all the ingredients and toss well until evenly coated.
•  Spread onto a baking sheet in a single layer and bake until golden brown on both sides. 
• Cook about 30 minutes and flip turnips half way through.

Slick Chicken Enchiladas

Chicken enchiladas, in my opinion, are a guilty pleasure. Basically they are high cholesterol wrapped in a corn tortilla. However, I lightened the load by using Laughing Cow Cheese instead of regular cheese. It is creamy and mixes nicely into the meat. Its only 35-45 calories per wedge versus 100 calories for the same amount of regular fat cheese. I thought that little calorie saving trick made me pretty slick. Try it at home and you can be slick too!

Slick Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts/ cooked and shredded

1 can of enchilada sauce (16 oz)

10 corn tortillas

2 wedges of laughing cow cheese

1 bag of shredded Mexican blend cheese (make sure the ingredients do not contain flour as an anti caking agent!)

Pinch of salt and pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat up enchilada sauce in a pan.

Put chicken, laughing cow cheese, half of the shredded cheese, and salt and pepper in a bowl and combine ingredients.

Place several tortillas at a time on a paper towel and microwave for about 15 seconds until they are pliable.

Fill each tortilla with the chicken mixture and roll up. Place the enchiladas seam side down in a baking dish.

Pour the enchilada sauce over the tortillas and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.

Bake until all of the cheese is melted (about 25 minutes) .

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

A gluten free summer can be bitter sweet. We look forward to BBQ’s as much as the next guy but who knows what lurks in that barbeque sauce! The majority of store bought barbeque sauces contain so form of gluten so steer clear. Here is a recipe that is not only easy, its economical. Use a pork shoulder roast an inexpensive cut of meat with tons of flavor.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Ingredients

One to two lbs of pork shoulder

1 cup of ketchup

1tsp minced garlic

2 TBSP honey

½ tsp of Worcestershire sauce

½ tsp of paprika

1 TBSP brown sugar

Directions

Cut slits in your roast all over to allow the sauce to get into the meat.

Rub a layer of the sauce over the entire roast.

Dump the rest of the sauce over the top of the roast in a slow cooker.

Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Cook on low for 8 – 10 hours. Meat  is done when it is easily separated with a fork

Ragu Pasta Bake

One of the many things I was diagnosed with over the course my Celiac journey was lactose intolerance. This was devastating for me, I could survive on cheese alone. Once I received my Celiac diagnosis I was relieved that I could still eat cheese. But, then I realized, what do you eat cheese on? Bread, crackers, macaroni ,all things I could no longer enjoy. I set out to find gluten free options for my favorite comfort foods. This recipe is a great substitute for the lasagna I can no longer enjoy. I am yet to find a gluten free lasagna noodle that can stand up to my meaty ragu. A ragu is an Italian sauce that has meat in it and usually served over a thick pasta.  Traditionally, it is made with pork or beef. I used Butterball Sweet Turkey Sausage which is gluten free and incredibly flavorful! Sneak some veggies in there! I put a whole 10 oz bag of spinach in mine. Peppers and mushrooms are also easy to sneak into this dish.

Ragu Pasta Bake

1 lb of gluten free pasta

1 ½  cup of shredded mozzarella

1lb package of Butterball sweet turkey sausage

2 cups of your favorite tomato sauce

10 oz bag of spinach

8 oz package of button mushrooms

1 TBSP of Olive Oil

1 tsp minced garlic

Pinch of salt and pepper

Directions

1.         Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2.        Cook your pasta until al dente, basically just a little firmer than you would want it to be.

3.        Heat oil in a deep sauté pan and cut sausage out of the casings (make a slit with a knife and the sausage and peel the casing off). Add garlic, mushrooms and the sausage to the pan and cook until the meat is browned. Break the meat up into smaller pieces with your spoon while it cooks.

4.        Add your favorite tomato sauce, spinach, salt and pepper and allow to simmer for 10 – 15 mins.

5.        Combine meat sauce and pasta. Put half of the pasta into a baking dish and sprinkle half of the mozzarella on top. Add the other half of the pasta and top with the remainder of the cheese.

6.        Bake until the cheese is melted and edges begin to brown.

World's Easiest Paella

Paella can be made very easily and there are so many versions of it. You could use shrimp, clams, chorizo, sausages, chicken, fish, mussels, or any combo of these things. I used flounder filets and mussels because its what I had in my freezer but get creative! This is also a good meal to hide veggies in if you have a green fearing child ( or husband as I have!) Also, this makes a huge portion, easily feeding 5 - 6 people. Stay fab!

World’s Easiest Paella

2 bags of boil in the bag brown rice

½ bag of frozen peas (I used peas, carrots and corn)

1 lb. flounder filets (roughly cut)

½ lb. of mussels (cleaned, you can also use frozen mussels in a broth, I used Pier 33 Gourmet)

2 chicken bouillon cubes (I used Herbox but you can you any gluten free kind)

1 med onion chopped

1 tsp minced garlic

1 TBSP olive oil

1 can of diced tomatoes

2 cups of water

¼ tsp turmeric

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 bag of sazon ( I used Knorr brand but most brands I have seen are g-free)

Directions

1.     Put olive oil in a large sauté pan with a lid. Cook onion and garlic in pan.

2.     Once almost translucent, add rice, diced tomatoes, water, bouillon cubes and all spices. Allow to boil for about a minute.

3.     Add the fish, mussels and frozen veggies and stir.

Gluten Free Weddings!

Some of you may have noticed that I have not been my usual chatty self lately. That's because I have been hard at work planning my own gluten free wedding! Any gluten free bride can tell you how difficult it can be to find an accommodating venue. I searched high and low and I feel like I've seen it all! Some venues will charge you extra, DON'T FALL FOR IT!! Many of the foods that are traditional wedding fare are already gluten free, speak to the chef and the head of the venue and come up with a menu that suits all guests with or without gluten. Here are some ideas of gluten free foods served at my own wedding: braised short ribs, paella, smoked salmon and cream cheese pinwheels, chicken and pesto pinwheels, potatoes stuffed with gorgonzola cheese, prime rib, mashed potatoes and veggies, cheese platters, fruit platters, veggie platters ... you get my drift! Find the venue that works with you. You must feel comfortable with your venue and know that they are safe for you. Your wedding day is no time for accidental glutening!

Mexican Corn Cakes

Happy Cinco de Mayo! If you are Gfree I hope you experiment with Mexican Cuisine. Corn is a main ingredient in mexican cooking and most recipes are just naturally gluten free!   Some people are put off because they think its spicy but it doesnt have to be! Check out my Mexican Corn Cake recipe below.

Mexican Corn Cakes

Ingredients

1 cup of Masa Flour ( corn flour)

½ cup of warm water

Canola Oil

1 can of refried beans ( Make sure they are Gluten free!)

Sliced scallions

Monterey Jack Cheese Shredded

Feta Cheese Crumbled  ( I prefer Cojita Cheese which is a Mexican cheese but feta is a great substitute!)

Directions

·        Take your Masa flour and slowly work in the warm water to form a dough. If your dough is to dry add more water. If it’s too wet add more flour.

·        Rip off golf ball size chucks of the dough and flatten it into a pancake, about a ¼ inch in thickness.

·        Fry the corn cake on both sides until golden brown (about 5 minutes on each side).

·        Lay the fried corn cakes on paper towels to soak up excess oil and allow to cool so they are easily handled.

·        Spread the corn cakes onto a baking sheet (ungreased) and sprinkle with the Monterey Jack Cheese onto each cake. Place them in a 400 degree oven until the cheese is golden brown.

·        Spread a thin layer of refried beans onto each cake and sprinkle with scallions and crumbled feta or cojita cheese and place back in the oven until the crumbled cheese begins to soften ( about 8 – 10 minutes)