I love the plethora of fresh fruit options this time of year. If you like a think and chunky smoothie, freeze them first. This one was light and refreshing with fresh fruit.
1 nectarine
2 slices watermelon chunked
1T honey
1scoop protein powder
1C water (or juice for additional sweetness)
This was really light and fresh and didn’t taste like protein at all. Enjoy!
I need something filling in the morning or I will resort to carbs every time. In my desire to get fit, I’m trying to make healthier allergy friendly food choices.
This is a smoothie recipe I put together with some of my favorite foods. It blends better than you think and the avocado wouldn’t even be detective by people who avoid eating green things that aren’t a lifesaver.
1 Avocado
1 C frozen berries
1T Honey
1 Scoop Greek Yogurtein Coconut Flavor protein powder
1T Lemon juice
2C water
Blend in magic bullet and drink immediately!
I’m convinced that if my life were in TV it would be a timed cooking show. You know… here’s eight random ingredients, two hungry kids and thirty minutes until bedtime… now go!
That’s why it’s always a good idea for me to have gluten free corn dogs, chicken nuggets and frozen burgers on hand.
I’d love to say that I could think of something palatable to make out of avocado, apples, frozen hamburger meat, eggs and almond milk. Chances are pretty good, even if I were to whip it up, I would receive a big, fat “eww gross” from my mini audience.
I’ve vowed to try and take some of my kids favorite restaurant meals and replicate them in house. This will save time, money and the entertainment factor of our traveling road show, at bedtime.
Considering my narrow window for meal consumption, the prep time needs to be virtually non-existent. That’s why most of my meals can be completed in thirty minutes.
A couple of things I avoid when cooking are large prep times and mixing blends of flours. No thank you. I will be utilizing mixes whenever possible.
Check out some of my easy recipes for families on the go!
A hint… my favorite appliance is the
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I love Chinese food!
Unfortunately, 98% of the restaurants seem to use gluten filled soy sauce. I usually limit my orders to either mei fun (for the kids) or moo goo gai pan (or other non breaded dishes with white sauce).
Thus, I was inspired to whip up some beef and broccoli with gluten free soy sauce. Like most of my recipes… it’s super easy.
4lb ribeye steaks (if fresh, cut into strips)
4 stalks broccoli (fresh)
1.5c water (or beef broth)
1/4C La Choy Soy Sauce
1/4C Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce
2C frozen onions
Cook in the “magic pot” or //ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=gftifshealtht-20&marketplace=amazon®ion=US&placement=B001A62O1G&asins=B001A62O1G&linkId=1b4e4c2fb1dd2fce64c05d79954757e5&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true&price_color=e629dd&title_color=e633c8&bg_color=faf5fa Fagor Electric Pressure Cooker for 10 minutes. Put sauce in last, over entire mixture. If frozen meat is used, cut into strips after cooking.
Dip veggies and sauce over the meat in bowls.
Chow.
A part of my childhood memories stem from freshly grown vegetables, picked from my Papa’s garden and made into delicacies with ease.
One of my favorite snacks, even as an adult, are cucumbers. This recipe combines history, nostalgia and good taste for a fresh healthy snack.
4-6 cucumbers sliced
3 cups water
1 cup Apple cider vinegar
1T sugar (optional)
Marinate overnight and strain as you dish.
Kale is one of the more polarizing things in life. Like cold weather, lipstick and exercise, you either love it or hate it.
Being in the healthier phase of my life, sans kool aid and little Debbie cakes, I have turned to all things green. Matcha, green juice, celery, zucchini, avocados and kale seem to be among the foods that I actually prefer to munch on.
I haven’t found a prepackaged kale chip that suits me. They seem to be coated or soggy. In search of something enjoyable, I started experimenting.
The recipe below can vary based upon what you sprinkle on top but I found to be enjoyable.
2 bunches fresh organic kale, washed, destemmed and torn into bite size pieces.
Dry with a paper towel
Place kale on top of wax paper (or parchment) coated with spray oil, then spray kale, with preferred oil. I like avocado or coconut spray.
Sprinkle seasoning of choice on top. My favorites are either Wild Tree rancher steak rub, garlic blend or onion blend.
Sprinkle what makes you enjoy it most. Dry seasonings work best so the cook time remains consistent.
Bake at 350 for ten minutes. The kale will shrink and harden but not burn. You can cool on the cookie sheet when done.
Best when consumed immediately. Otherwise, poke a whole in a ziplock so it can breath. If housed in a sealed storage bag it starts to lose crispness.
Kale on.
My favorite pitch in meal, dinner in a dash, way to feed my daughter without complaint and inexpensive way to feed a large group of people, is chili.
The gluten containing ingredient is typically the mix. That’s why I use the following to make it fast, easy and gluten free:
2lbs fresh local ground chuck
1 can black beans
1 can kidney beans
2cans crushed tomatoes with onions (red gold is my go to)
1/2 packet Trader Joe’s taco seasoning
Add to the “Magic pot” //ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=gftifshealtht-20&marketplace=amazon®ion=US&placement=B001A62O1G&asins=B001A62O1G&linkId=1b4e4c2fb1dd2fce64c05d79954757e5&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true&price_color=e629dd&title_color=e633c8&bg_color=faf5fa with 1 cup of water for 10 minutes, release steam and mix with a “mix n chop” device and you have dinner.
Getting my kids to eat something nutritious in the morning is more of a challenge every day. Most breakfast foods are not naturally allergy friendly. We have four of the top eight allergens in our family (and three more that are less common, although just as difficult to work around).
This recipe is super simple and I managed to make it in 25 minutes on a school morning.
6 ripe bananas – peeled and mashed
1T Cinnamon
3C Freedom Foods Gluten Free instant Oatmeal with berries (market district)
1C Raisins
I mashed it all together with my mix and chop for a chunky texture and scooped into my mini muffin tin with a small scoop. Fast, easy and contains the mess.
Bake at 350 for 15 minutes and let cool.
The bananas are very hot inside, so don’t do what I did and eat within the first 5 minutes.
The oatmeal in this mix is super refined and cooks quickly. These have a fantastic hearty texture and are secretly healthy for them. I won’t tell if you don’t.
Are you new to the diet, confused and overwhelmed?
Maybe you have been on it awhile and you don’t understand why you are still getting sick?
Here are a few simple ways to keep an eye out for hidden gluten:
#1. Oatmeal
It must say gluten free. It has to do with how it’s grown. Basically, farmers rotate crops to keep the ground conditioned for optimum growth. This means that one year of wheat, another year of oats, results in wheat being harvested in oats. Many tests have been run on leading oat brands and determined that the contamination was so high you might as well be eating a bowl of wheat bran. My favorite is Trader Joe’s gluten free oats. They are the best value I have found on the market.
#2. Imitation crab meat
Not only is it imitation, making it essentially equal to the plastic stuff used in the display cases, but it’s full of food dyes. Oh, and did I mention that it’s created from wheat? Check the label. You will see what I mean. Either it’s real crab or it’s not safe.
#3. Vanilla extract
I have watched the food network and according to Alton brown and his infinite food wisdom, I have learned that vanilla is made from a vanilla bean being placed in a jar with vodka and distilled. If the vodka has gluten in it, which most do, you have a bottle of gluten filled vanilla extract. If the bottle doesn’t specify gluten free, assume it’s not. I use Kirkland brand. It is labeled gluten free and a great value.
#4. Soy Sauce
I know, you thought it was made from soy, right? Wrong. It’s actually made from wheat. Unless you buy La Choy, Tamari based (gluten free) soy or Liquid aminos. Bragg’s aminos are in my fridge now. They taste amazing and I love the quality of the companies products.
#5. Licorice Candy
Anyone think that candy must be safe? Well, actually, flour is added in the baking process to most recipes, although the root itself is a legume. Put down the Twizzlers and watch for the “healthy alternatives” to main stream candy as well. The process is the same. The only brand I have found to be free from gluten is from Lovey Candy Co.
#6. Cheese
Don’t get excited, it’s not all cheese by any means. Check the package on shredded brands for flour that is used (as a non caking agent). Also, some bleu cheese may be produced with the aid of flour. I’m not a fan of bleu cheese so this hasn’t been an issue for me.
#7. Packaged meats
Lunch meat, hot dogs, sausages, hams and turkeys can be infused with gluten containing substances (usually present in the broths they are made in). The safest meats will label gluten free on the package. Boars head is my personal favorite.
#8. Condiments
BBQ sauce, teriyaki, salad dressings, asian sauces, gravy, dips… you name it. I have encountered wheat, rye and barley in all of the above. Be especially careful in restaurants as they tend to buy the least expensive options, due to the quantity they go through. It may be boring but much safer to have any sauce left off.
#9. Cereal
Just because it is a “corn” “rice”, or “potato” cereal does not mean that it doesn’t contain multi grains. There are a few brands, like Chex that carry gluten free options but always double check the label. And remember that malt is made from Barley, so if your cereal has rice and malt, it’s NOT gluten free.
#10. Soups
This is one of the most agonizing for me. I love a good bowl of hot soup in the winter and cans, boxes, catering and restaurants love to thicken their soups with flour. Anyone ever heard of corn starch? Seriously. It’s rare that I can have a soup. A few safe ones I have found are Chili’s baked potato, Jason’s deli’s veggie chili and tomato and Zoup has several daily choices that are clearly labeled with gluten free tags.
Unfortunately, there are loads of places that gluten lurks, including “Modified Food Starch” because it can be made from corn or wheat. Keep stead fast, be diligent. It is worth the effort to rid your body of the pollutants and help you feel better.
-Your Gluten Free Sister.
I’m detoxing from sweets after a long winter break but I still needed a little treat with a healthy edge. Besides I had four over ripe bananas that were going to be round filed, so why not bake them up?.
I ordered one of Brooke’s Naturals Banana Bread mixes in my recent Green Bean Indiana bin and altered the directions to accommodate for my sons dairy and egg yolk allergy.
What you need:
4 ripe bananas (black but no mold)
3T Earth Balance Vegan Butter (melted)
3T Coconut oil (melted)
2 egg whites
1t Vanilla
1C walnuts (I used fishers whole)
This is the easy part… peel the bananas, add to melted butter and coconut oil. Add in the egg whites and vanilla and beat with a pampered chef mix n chop. I like chunky bananas so this works perfect and you don’t have to dirty a mixer.
Spray a pampered chef stone wear loaf pan with coconut oil and pour in mix. Bake for 1 hour at 350 for a perfect texture banana nut bread that is gluten, dairy, rice and egg yolk free.
Tifs Celiac Travels 