Gluten Free Recipe: Breakfast Bowls (Millet/Amaranth)

Cooking Millet/Amaranth:

I usually mix 1 Cup Millet and 1 Cup Amaranth to 2 cups liquid.


Dry roast the Millet and/or Amaranth on med to med-high heat in a pot or deep pan until lightly brown. About 3-5 min.

Then Pour as little water as possible (it comes out fluffier this way-therefore I would use mabe 1.5 cups to begin w/ and reserve the 1/2 cup if necessary) and let boil for 20-30 min until is fluffy and soft (I try it to see if its ready). Turn off heat and let sit for another 10 min. Fluff w/ fork.

I found millet to be best warm. So i think it would work best as warm cereal bowl, in casseroles, as a warm side dish, etc. When it is room temp or cold, it clumps together and is not as tasty.

You can use water, broth, or milk to boil it depending on its intended use.

If you use milk, you can kind of do an aroz con leche type thing.

Keep it stored in an air tight container or ziploc bag in fridge and grab from it to create your breakfast bowl each morning:

For El Breakfast Bowls:

3/4 to 1 cup millet/amranth, broken up w/ fork ( i usually take it from the fridge so its clumpy) Add 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup organic milk OR you can use greek yogurt, dash of Cinnamon Raw (or toasted) Walnuts (you can use any nut you enjoy) I use raw walnuts.

Frozen organic blueberries (can use any type of berry, strawberries, blackberries, etc) Sliced Banana (if i want it really hearty). 

Drizzle of raw organic agave nectar

Pop it all in microwave for 1-2 minutes and eat up!

I usually just warm up the millet/amaranth with milk and add the nuts, agave nectar and frozen blueberries after.

mmmm makes me want some of this now!

Gluten Free Recipe: Baked Chicken over Brown Rice & Zucchini Corn

Baked Chicken Breasts over Brown Rice & Zucchini Corn

This is a great Sunday recipe! Prepare ahead of time and just place in the oven for a fabulous lunch or dinner.

4 large boneless (skinless) chicken breasts

Salt

Pepper

1 c white brown rice

1 stick of butter or butter sub Vegan Butter

14 oz beef broth

14 oz chicken broth

dash of garlic powder

1/2 lb white button mushrooms, sliced (optional)


Zuchinni Corn

kernels from two ears of sweet corn

(or 1 1/2 c corn kernels, if using canned or frozen)

2 med zucchini, cut into half moons

feta cheese (opt.)


Cooking Directions: Melt vegan butter over low heat in a large nonstick skillet; add mushrooms and sauté for two minutes. Add broth, garlic powder and rice. Mix well and spoon into 11 x 7 or 9 x 9 inch baking dish. Top with chicken breasts and sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Cover with loosely with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for one hour or until chicken is done.

Zuchinni Corn - Saute zucchini and corn in a skillet over medium-low medium heat. Add a little water to the skillet if needed. The corn and zucchini will give off their own water so you won’t need much. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until you can easily stick a fork through the zucchini. Top with feta cheese. (mmm my mom would make this but instead of corn she'd add either fresh chopped tomatoes or stewed tomatoes).

Gluten Free Recipe: Cashew Nut Chicken

Cashew Nut Chicken

3/4 lb chicken breast

2 Tbsp canola oil (you can sautee in EVOO)

1 small onion, cut into wedges

2 bell peppers, cut into strips

1 1/3 Tbsp GF tamari or soy sauce (I use Dark Sesame Seed Oil mmmmm)

1 1/2 tsp sugar

2 c chicken broth

2 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch

1/2 c cashews

Cooking Directions: Prep all ingredients first. Slice the chicken breast crosswise into 1/2 inch wide strips. Cut the onion into wedges and the bell peppers into thin strips. Mix the tamari, sugar, broth and cornstarch in a small bowl and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken and stir-fry until it changes color and is cooked through (about 2 minutes). Set the chicken aside and turn the heat down to medium. Add the peppers and onions and sauté until tender. Add the chicken back into the skillet along with the sauce mixture. Stir regularly until sauce thickens. Sprinkle with cashews prior to serving.

Serving Suggestion: Serve over white or brown rice.  Maybe even Mung Bean Noodles since it's made from Bean Sprouts (I believe).

Gluten Free Recipe: Summer Veggie Quesadillas

This guy who's website I got this recipe from is kinda twisted cause i noticed his recipes have regular potatoes and packaged seasoning.  Omit as noted or as possible.

Summer Veggie Quesadillas (4 large servings)


1/2 medium onion

2 medium zuchinni

2 medium yellow summer squash

2 small red bell pepper

2 Tbsp. canola oil (Extra Virgin Olive Oil works fine)

2 Tbsp. McCormick Fajita Seasoning (Skip this it has preservativesm additives and other bad stuff)

16 oz. grated cheese (opt.) (I use Almond Cheese and you can buy it at Whole Foods)

16 corn tortillas

cilantro

sour cream (opt.) (I use Greek Non-fat Plain Yogurt)

salsa

Cooking Directions: Dice the veggies into small pieces so that the smaller than normal corn quesadillas will stick together. Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the veggies and fajita seasoning and sauté until tender. Remove veggies to a bowl so that you can use the skillet to cook the quesadillas.

Turn the skillet down to medium-low. Place one corn tortilla on the skillet; sprinkle it with cheese; spread two heaping spoonfuls (I used one of our soup spoons) of veggies on top of the cheese; sprinkle some more cheese on the veggies; top with another corn tortilla. Let the tortilla cook until you see that the cheese on the bottom of the quesadilla has melted. Then flip the quesadilla and let the other side cook until its cheese has melted too. Remove the quesadilla to a serving plate and repeat for the remaining quesadillas. Top the quesadillas with sour cream, salsa, and cilantro and then enjoy their yummy goodness!

*If your family is casein-free you can omit the cheese and sour cream and serve this as fajitas.

Gluten Free Recipe: Chicken Chile Verde

Chicken Chile Verde (4 servings)



This recipe is so full of flavor! And it’s quick and easy to make since it uses the leftover roasted chicken from earlier in the week.

2 – 3 cups of shredded chicken

1 c. onions, chopped

¼ c. celery, chopped

1 Tbsp. garlic, chopped

2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. ground cumin (blech! I don’t like Cumin)

½ tsp. dried oregano

½ tsp. salt

1 c. salsa verde (make your own if you can with tomatillos, I'll try to post my mom's Chilie Verde Sauce recipe later...if she lets me)

1 bunch cilantro, leaves & stems minced separately

2 c. chicken stock (make sure GF)

7 oz. can green chiles

2 Tbsp. lime juice

Cooking Directions: Cook onions, celery, and garlic in a couple of tablespoons of water until tender (5 minutes). Add the spices and cook for an additional minute. Add the salsa verde, cilantro stems, chicken stock and green chiles and simmer for 10 minutes. Finally, add the chicken, ½ c. chopped cilantro leaves, and lime juice. Simmer for another five minutes or so until the chicken is warmed through.

Serving Suggestions: Corn tortillas , rice, and Avocado Salad. For the rice, cook 1 1/3 c. brown rice in 2 2/3 c. chicken stock . Cooking time for brown rice 40 minutes. The Avocado salad is sliced avocadoes and tomatoes served over green lettuce and dressed with lemon juice, lime juice, and salt, and black pepper.

Gluten Free Recipe: Roasted Chicken & Vegetables

Roasted Chicken & Vegetables (4 servings)



This simple comfort meal will yield enough leftover chicken for Chicken Chili Verde later in the week. Cook this on a weekend afternoon when you have time for the chicken to roast.

7 lb. whole chicken

2 to 3 Tbsp. olive oil

salt

2-4 medium-sized sweet potatoes

3 carrots

1/4 c. Vegan butter or dairy-free butter substitute

1 tsp. rosemary (dried)

1 tsp. thyme (dried)

Cooking Directions: Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Remove the neck and giblets from the inside of the chicken, and rinse the chicken thoroughly. Pat the bird dry and rub the inside of the bird with salt. Sprinkle more salt on the skin. Place the chicken breast side up in a deep roasting pan and rub olive oil over the breast and legs. Place the chicken in the oven.

Peel and roughly chop the vegetables. Scatter them around the chicken once the bird has been in the oven for 25 minutes. Sprinkle diced bit of the butter and the herbs over the vegetables. Cook the chicken and vegetables for another hour. To test the chicken for doneness, poke the thickest part of the thigh with a fork – the juices from the thigh should be clear. If you have a meat thermometer, the temperature of the thigh should be 170˚ to 175˚F. When it’s done, remove the chicken to a platter and let is rest for 10 minutes before carving.

Serving Suggestions: Steamed broccoli topped with a lemon butter sauce. For the sauce, mix 1/4 c. melted vegan butter, 3/4 tsp. salt, 3/4 tsp. paprika, and 1 tbsp. lemon juice.

Frugal Foodie: After your meal, pull the rest of the meat off of the bone and store in the refrigerator for later in the week. There should be 2 – 3 cups left. Freeze the carcass in a large freezer bag; it makes a great base for homemade stock.

Gluten Free Recipe: Low-Cal Desserts

10 Easy Low-Cal Desserts

1. Ricotta Fruit Cup. Fill a wineglass or parfait glass half-full with blueberries or fresh sliced strawberries. Top with 1/2 cup fat-free ricotta cheese, then drizzle with honey and sprinkle with cinnamon.

2. Roasted Fruits with Honey. Halve fruits such as peaches or nectarines and remove the pits. Place on a baking sheet and drizzle each half with 1 teaspoon honey. Roast in a 350°F oven until tender and juicy, about 15 minutes. (you can use Agave Nectar as a sub also)

3. Banana-Peanut Almond Butter Sandwich. Peel a banana and cut it in half lengthwise. Spread 1 tablespoon a reduced-fat peanut Almond butter onto the cut side of one half, then top with the other half to create a banana sandwich. Cut into bite-size pieces, if desired.

4. Low-Cal "Ice Cream" Sandwich. Create a homemade frozen treat by sandwiching 2 tablespoons sugar-free whipped topping between 2 fat-free chocolate graham crackers. Cover with plastic wrap and pop into the freezer for 1 hour. Graham Crackers are NOT gluten free unless you find some but then the whipped cream is not so skip this one.

5. Baked Maple Apple. Core and halve an unpeeled apple and place it in a small microwavable bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and heat on high power in a microwave for 2 minutes. Drizzle each half with 1 tablespoon sugar-free maple syrup, then sprinkle with cinnamon or allspice. I'd skip this, I'm not sure maple syrup is on the ok for Gluten free, but just in case....

6. Low-Cal Peanut Butter Almond Cup. Stir 1 teaspoon creamy reduced-fat peanut Almond butter into a sugar-free, fat-free chocolate pudding cup (See sub below). It tastes just like a peanut butter cup! Remember 70% Dark Chocolate and ummm, pudding cups are on the no list.  But you can melt 70% chocolate into cup molds and then once cooled use Almond or Cashew Butter.

7. Banana Milkshake. Peel an extra-ripe banana, cut it into chunks, and freeze in a ziptop bag. In a blender, process the frozen chunks with 1 cup fat-free milk or fat-free GREEK yogurt.

8. Healthy Latte. For a healthier alternative to the drinks sold at many coffee chains, pour 1 cup of cooled coffee over ice, add a small scoop of fat-free vanilla frozen yogurt, and top with a sprinkling of nutmeg or cocoa powder.NO COFFEE!

9. Angel Food Trifle. In a parfait glass, layer 2 small chunks of angel food cake (equal to one slice) with sliced berries of your choice and 1/2 cup fat-free frozen yogurt. Negatory.

10. Not-So-Decadent Chocolate-Covered Strawberries. Dip 5 or 6 large fresh strawberries into 2 tablespoons fat-free chocolate sauce melt 70% dark Chocolate for a guilt-free version of chocolate-covered strawberries.

Gluten Free Recipe: Almost Fast Food Burger

My notes/changes are in italic
--------------------------------------
Devin Alexander's "Almost Fast Food Burger"

Devin notes: "This burger is much, much leaner than any you're likely to find at a fast food restaurant, but the sauce makes it taste so reminiscent of them. I often make this burger in a low-carb tortilla instead of using the bun and I always add a few more pickles. If you're watching your sodium closely, you may not want to stick to it "as is" below."

1 tablespoon low-fat mayonnaise Plain non-fat Greek yogurt
  (instead of mixing the yougurt with ketchup and mustard you can blend with either sun-dried tomato and/or pesto)

1/2 teaspoon ketchup (try to skip unless sugar-free)

1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard

4 ounces 96% lean ground beef lean ground turkey

1 whole wheat hamburger bun Ezekiel 4:9 Sesame Bun or a Gluten Free Bun/Bread (I like Udi's from Whole Foods)

1 slice (3/4 ounce) fat-free American cheese (optional) Almond Cheese

1/4 cup chopped romaine lettuce leaves

1 very thin sliced onion

3 dill pickle rounds

How to:

In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, ketchup, and mustard. Stir to mix. Set aside. Shape the beef Turkey into a patty that is about 1/2" wider than the bun.

Preheat a medium nonstick skillet or grill rack on high heat.Place the patty on the pan or grill. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side, or until desired doneness is reached. (Do not smash the burger with the spatula.) About 30 seconds before the burger is cooked, top with the cheese, if desired.

Place the bun halves, cut sides down, on the pan or grill. Cook for about 45 seconds, or until toasted.

Place the bun bottom on a serving plate. Top with the patty, lettuce, onion, and pickles. Spread the reserved sauce evenly over the inside of the bun top. Flip onto the burger.

Makes 1 burger.

Side Bustin': I want to say this is from the Biggest Loser but I can't remember.

Gluten Free Recipe: Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes

1 small sweet potato, 4 oz, quartered lengthwise

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon rosemary

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Dash of salt

Dash of black pepper

Clean sweet potato, quarter, and place on a baking sheet. Coat surfaces evenly with olive oil. Sprinkle rosemary, garlic, salt, and pepper over potato. Broil for 20-25 minutes or until cooked and lightly browned.

Yield: 2 Servings

Gluten Free Recipe: Tara's Turkey Mini-Meatloaf

Tara's Turkey Mini-Meatloaf


Ingredients For Meat Loaf:

1 small yellow onion, coarsely chopped

1 medium carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 stalk of celery, coarsely chopped

2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
    (Tara is kaaaarazy! This was hot.  I suggest using 1 can ONLY).

1 (20-ounce) package lean ground turkey breast

1/2 cup quick cooking oats
    (I know this ain't gluten free, but just go with it this once)

2 egg whites


For Topping:

1/4 cup fat free and sugar free ketchup

1 tablespoon chipotle pepper adobo sauce

1 tablespoon brown sugar substitute (such as Splenda® Brand)

Side-Bustin': This shit was hot.  So I'd just cut out the sugar and Chipotle's and use tomatoe paste with italian seasoning.

Cooking Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. In the work bowl of a food processor, combine onion, carrots and celery. Pulse until finely chopped. Add chipotle peppers and pulse until just combined. In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey with the pepper and vegetable mixture. Add egg whites and oats; gently mix until combined. Place about 1/3 cup of the prepared meatloaf mixture into 9 wells of a standard size muffin pan that has been lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 20 minutes.


Meanwhile, combine all of the topping ingredients in a small bowl; set aside. Remove meat loaves from oven and spoon the topping over each meatloaf. Return meatloaf to the oven and continue to bake for an additional 5-10 minutes or until meatloaf is firm and the internal temperature registers 170°F. Let meatloaf stand for 5 minutes before serving. Makes 9 mini loaves.

Nutritional Information per Serving:
Calories: 110
Protein: 16 g
Carbohydrates: 6 g
Fat: 1 g
Cholesterol: 25 mg
Sodium: 180 mg
Saturated Fat: 0
Fiber: Less than 1 gram

Recipe from Diets in Review (web a long time ago)

Gluten Free Recipe: Sweet Potatoes Hash

**Update** Limit yourself on Sweet Potatoes if you have Hypothyroidism.


Sweet Potatoes Hash
(Weight Watchers Points: 3)


Ingredients::

1/4 cup(s) vegetable oil

1 cup(s) onion(s)

1 cup(s) bell pepper(s), Chopped

2 medium cooked sweet potato, Peeled and cut into small cubes

1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 tsp table salt

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Sauté bell peppers and onions until tender, about 5 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients and reduce heat to medium

Cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring every 2-3 minutes. Sweet potatoes may begin to stick to skillet, but continue to stir gently until they cook through. Serve while hot.

NOTE:  This goes excellent with an egg or egg white omelet.