Another idea I came across on Pinterest while wracking my brain for a dinner idea that will fit into the kids, especially the littlest ones, diet restrictions. I think it came out good, and all 3 kids and the hubby ate really well with very little prodding. Score!
The recipe I found called for a mashed cauliflower topping instead of mashed potato's, but seeing as I didn't have that much cauliflower on hand and I doubted my kids would fall for that, I used mashed potato's. This version has a ton of flavor thanks to the addition of a pound of bacon! Yep you read that right, a. pound. of. bacon. Yum!
Paleo Shepherd's Pie
Ingredients:
1 pound of Turkey or Pork Bacon, chopped
1/2 - 1 yellow or brown onion
1 1/2 C chopped carrots
1 1/2 C chopped celery
1 pound ground beef (organic if you can afford it)
1 8oz can of tomato sauce (Hunts Roasted Garlic is my fav)
Dash of salt to taste
Dash of pepper to taste
Dash of paprika
Mashed potato topping (6-7 servings)
Daiya cheddar cheese (optional)
In a large frying pan or pot, fry up chopped bacon until almost cooked through, add in onions and saute for about 5-10 minutes or translucent. Add in carrots and celery and cook until soft. Add in ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Season the mixture with salt, pepper, and paprika. Add in tomato sauce and cook mixture until thoroughly heated through.
Previous to this I made up a large batch of instant mashed potato's following the package directions. I set these aside until I needed them. The brand I use is gluten free as well as free of dairy and soy. Make sure to check your package.
Spray a 13x9 in baking pan with non stick cooking spray. Pour ground beef, bacon, and veggie mixture into pan. Top mixture with mashed potato's.
Bake at 350* for 30 minutes. Top with Daiya cheddar cheese and bake an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Gluten Free Creamy Spanish Rice and Chicken Casserole
So the other night I wanted to try my hand at making Gluten Free pizza for the littlest one, but then discovered that I am almost out of the gluten free flour mix I would need to use. So I needed a plan B ASAP! A friend was posting pics on Facebook of a casserole that included chicken, corn tortillas, cream of mushroom soup, and chopped green chili's and of course smothered in cheese! It looked so yummy and made me wish we could eat it, but sadly we can't. I thought about trying to tweak it to work with our current restrictions, but didn't really want to bother. But the Mexican food theme was now stuck in my head so I needed to come up with something. So I started making stuff up! I have a recipe for Spanish rice that we all love, which just so happens to be Gluten Free, as well as all the other intolerant foods we are avoiding free, so I used that as my base. I made it creamy and it turned out GOOD! One of the twins cleaned his plate and so did the littlest one!!!! Of course I had to have one kid who wasn't a fan but even the hubby ate two helpings! So here you go.
First off you will need to make the Spanish Rice.
Spanish Rice
Ingredients:
2 Tbls Olive Oil
1/4 Medium Brown or Yellow Onion chopped
1 1/2 C Rice
3 Cloves Chopped or Minced Garlic
2 1/2 C Chicken Broth
1C (8oz) Tomato Sauce (I like the Roasted Garlic from Hunts)
In a medium sauce pan heat oil. Saute Onion for a few minutes, til its translucent. Add dry rice and cook for another 5-7 minutes, until the rice looks golden brown. Add garlic and saute for another minute. Add broth, slowly, directly into the rice, not onto the hot pan. Stir in tomato sauce. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn heat to low and cover. Let simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat.
You'll also need to make up a batch of Cream of Mushroom Soup. Check out my recipe here: http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1400178794632799190#editor/target=post;postID=453508138891568566
To make the sauce:
Ingredients:
1/2 C Soy Free Veganaise
Dash of Lemon Juice
Pinch of Garlic Salt
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup (or use one batch of homemade version)
1 small can of chopped Green Chilies
Mix all ingredients together well, or blend them together in your blender.
Now onto assemblying your casserole!!!!
Spray a 13x9in pan with non stick cooking spray (I use Olive Oil spray). In a large bowl, or right in the pan, mix together rice, sauce, and shredded chicken (use about 1-2 chicken breasts or one can of chunk chicken) Place in the pan, bake in the oven at 350* for 20-25 minutes. Top with Daiya cheddar and jack cheese's and bake for additional 10-15 minutes.
I don't have a picture of this because I wasn't sure how it was going to turn out when I was throwing it together, but I will take one the next time I make it because I know I will be making it again!
First off you will need to make the Spanish Rice.
Spanish Rice
Ingredients:
2 Tbls Olive Oil
1/4 Medium Brown or Yellow Onion chopped
1 1/2 C Rice
3 Cloves Chopped or Minced Garlic
2 1/2 C Chicken Broth
1C (8oz) Tomato Sauce (I like the Roasted Garlic from Hunts)
In a medium sauce pan heat oil. Saute Onion for a few minutes, til its translucent. Add dry rice and cook for another 5-7 minutes, until the rice looks golden brown. Add garlic and saute for another minute. Add broth, slowly, directly into the rice, not onto the hot pan. Stir in tomato sauce. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn heat to low and cover. Let simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat.
You'll also need to make up a batch of Cream of Mushroom Soup. Check out my recipe here: http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1400178794632799190#editor/target=post;postID=453508138891568566
To make the sauce:
Ingredients:
1/2 C Soy Free Veganaise
Dash of Lemon Juice
Pinch of Garlic Salt
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup (or use one batch of homemade version)
1 small can of chopped Green Chilies
Mix all ingredients together well, or blend them together in your blender.
Now onto assemblying your casserole!!!!
Spray a 13x9in pan with non stick cooking spray (I use Olive Oil spray). In a large bowl, or right in the pan, mix together rice, sauce, and shredded chicken (use about 1-2 chicken breasts or one can of chunk chicken) Place in the pan, bake in the oven at 350* for 20-25 minutes. Top with Daiya cheddar and jack cheese's and bake for additional 10-15 minutes.
I don't have a picture of this because I wasn't sure how it was going to turn out when I was throwing it together, but I will take one the next time I make it because I know I will be making it again!
Monday, October 15, 2012
Gluten Free Sandwich Bread
Its been a while since I posted any recipes so thought I'd better get on that. Here is one of the ones that I am working on today.
Gluten Free Sandwich Bread
For this recipe you will need to use your favorite gluten free flour mix (not baking mix). I used Jeanne's Gluten Free Flour Mix. I think it tastes pretty good and is pretty easy to assemble. Here is her recipe:
1 1/4 C Brown Rice Flour
1 1/4 C White Rice Flour
1 C Tapioca Flour/Starch
1 C Sweet Rice Flour (sometimes known as Mochicko in Asian markets)
2 scant tsp Xantham Gum (I use Authentic Foods allergen free xanthum gum, it is grown on cabbage and not corn)
Mix all ingredients together and store in a cool dark place. I keep this flour mix and all my gluten free flours in the refrigerator.
Now onto the bread: (adapted from http://www.artofglutenfreebaking.com/)
Ingredients:
3 C Gluten Free Flour Mix
2 1/2 tsp Xanthum Gum (Authentic Foods Allergen Free)
4 tsp Grain Free Baking Powder (I use Hain Featherweight)
1 tsp Salt
4 Tbls Sugar
2 Tbls Active Dry Yeast (I use Red Star, I have found this amount to have a very yeasty smell and flavor so I have reduced to 1 1/2 Tbls)
1 1/2 C Warm, but not hot Milk Alternative or Water (I use water as we currently have the littlest one on Coconut milk and don't want this to have a coconutty flavor)
2 tsp Vinegar
1/4 C Olive Oil
2 Large Eggs
Preheat oven to 375*. Oil and flour your pan with a little Olive Oil and Tapioca Flour.
Place your warm milk or water in a bowl and mix in 1 Tbls Sugar and your Yeast. Mix well, cover with a towel and set aside in a warm, draft free place for 10mins to proof.
In a med/large bowl mix together flour, xanthum gum, baking powder, salt, and the remaining 3 Tbls sugar.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, which I don't have, beat eggs, olive oil, and vinegar to combine with a paddle attacthment. I don't have a stand mixer so I used my trusty hand mixer. Add in the yeast mixture and beat for a few seconds to combine. Then add the liquids to the flour mixture and beat on med/high for about 3 mins. If you don't have a stand mixer you will need to stop every time the beaters get clogged with the dough, scrape back into the bowl and beat again. I scrape the dough out onto a large piece of plastic wrap and then roll and smoothed it into a log shape, about as long as the loaf pan. then unroll and drop into the prepared pan. Use the plastic wrap to smooth the top down, try to make it as even as possible. Gently cover the loaf with the plastic wrap and let rise for about 30 mins in a warm spot. Keep an eye on it and don't let it rise to much above the rim of the pan.
Bake at 375* for approx 20mins. Check at the 20min mark, if the top is getting too brown tent with foil and bake an additional 10mins, so that total baking time is 30mins.
Remove from oven and let cool. Turn onto rack to continue to cool. Slice once cool and store with wax paper between each slice in the freezer in a large zip top bag. This will make it easier to get just one or two slices out without having to break the loaf. You can toast a bit once its thawed.
I previously made this without the eggs, but we are starting egg reintroduction with the littlest one and the GI doctor wanted me to start out baking with eggs first. I used a variety of egg replacement methods with pretty good results.
For some reason that I dont' understand my loaves look good right after I take them out of the oven, but then the center collaspes. Hmmmmm...........
Gluten Free Sandwich Bread
For this recipe you will need to use your favorite gluten free flour mix (not baking mix). I used Jeanne's Gluten Free Flour Mix. I think it tastes pretty good and is pretty easy to assemble. Here is her recipe:
1 1/4 C Brown Rice Flour
1 1/4 C White Rice Flour
1 C Tapioca Flour/Starch
1 C Sweet Rice Flour (sometimes known as Mochicko in Asian markets)
2 scant tsp Xantham Gum (I use Authentic Foods allergen free xanthum gum, it is grown on cabbage and not corn)
Mix all ingredients together and store in a cool dark place. I keep this flour mix and all my gluten free flours in the refrigerator.
Now onto the bread: (adapted from http://www.artofglutenfreebaking.com/)
Ingredients:
3 C Gluten Free Flour Mix
2 1/2 tsp Xanthum Gum (Authentic Foods Allergen Free)
4 tsp Grain Free Baking Powder (I use Hain Featherweight)
1 tsp Salt
4 Tbls Sugar
2 Tbls Active Dry Yeast (I use Red Star, I have found this amount to have a very yeasty smell and flavor so I have reduced to 1 1/2 Tbls)
1 1/2 C Warm, but not hot Milk Alternative or Water (I use water as we currently have the littlest one on Coconut milk and don't want this to have a coconutty flavor)
2 tsp Vinegar
1/4 C Olive Oil
2 Large Eggs
Preheat oven to 375*. Oil and flour your pan with a little Olive Oil and Tapioca Flour.
Place your warm milk or water in a bowl and mix in 1 Tbls Sugar and your Yeast. Mix well, cover with a towel and set aside in a warm, draft free place for 10mins to proof.
In a med/large bowl mix together flour, xanthum gum, baking powder, salt, and the remaining 3 Tbls sugar.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, which I don't have, beat eggs, olive oil, and vinegar to combine with a paddle attacthment. I don't have a stand mixer so I used my trusty hand mixer. Add in the yeast mixture and beat for a few seconds to combine. Then add the liquids to the flour mixture and beat on med/high for about 3 mins. If you don't have a stand mixer you will need to stop every time the beaters get clogged with the dough, scrape back into the bowl and beat again. I scrape the dough out onto a large piece of plastic wrap and then roll and smoothed it into a log shape, about as long as the loaf pan. then unroll and drop into the prepared pan. Use the plastic wrap to smooth the top down, try to make it as even as possible. Gently cover the loaf with the plastic wrap and let rise for about 30 mins in a warm spot. Keep an eye on it and don't let it rise to much above the rim of the pan.
Bake at 375* for approx 20mins. Check at the 20min mark, if the top is getting too brown tent with foil and bake an additional 10mins, so that total baking time is 30mins.
Remove from oven and let cool. Turn onto rack to continue to cool. Slice once cool and store with wax paper between each slice in the freezer in a large zip top bag. This will make it easier to get just one or two slices out without having to break the loaf. You can toast a bit once its thawed.
I previously made this without the eggs, but we are starting egg reintroduction with the littlest one and the GI doctor wanted me to start out baking with eggs first. I used a variety of egg replacement methods with pretty good results.
For some reason that I dont' understand my loaves look good right after I take them out of the oven, but then the center collaspes. Hmmmmm...........
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Just an update
The littlest one had his follow up with the kids GI doctor yesterday. We travel over 2 hours each way to see the kids team of specialists, worth it, but with gas prices the way they are right now its killing our budget!
But we got great news, the Top Allergen Elimination diet we are currently following with the littlest one is working! He has gained 1 pound and grew 1 inch in height! Amazing, seeing as this kid hasn't grown or gained anything since right after he turned 2, almost a year ago. He will be 3 in December.
So we will keep him at his current level of restriction for another week or two, then I'm supposed to start making his gluten free bread with eggs, like the recipe calls for, though I've been replacing the eggs with various egg replacer methods. He's supposed to eat the bread containing eggs for one week and then if he has no reactions, I'm to start to feed him scrambled eggs, one of his favs, for another week. If still no reactions we move onto the biggie, in my book at least, Wheat!!!!! If he passes the wheat reintroduction that will be huge for my cooking and baking!
After wheat, the doctor left it up to me as to what foods in what order I reintroduce next. But I'm to leave the reintroduction of dairy, soy, and corn for last. Since we know for sure that those foods cause him issues 100%. I worry about the reintro of those, just because I know it will be very, very rough, but the GI insists that this be done as scientifically as possible. So that means I have to take my personal feelings about how food affects my child out of the equation, which as a mom is super tough to do! So I will slap on my scientist lab coat and pretend that none of this bothers me, just to "prove" what I already know. Oh the life of a mom of a food intolerant kid!
But we got great news, the Top Allergen Elimination diet we are currently following with the littlest one is working! He has gained 1 pound and grew 1 inch in height! Amazing, seeing as this kid hasn't grown or gained anything since right after he turned 2, almost a year ago. He will be 3 in December.
So we will keep him at his current level of restriction for another week or two, then I'm supposed to start making his gluten free bread with eggs, like the recipe calls for, though I've been replacing the eggs with various egg replacer methods. He's supposed to eat the bread containing eggs for one week and then if he has no reactions, I'm to start to feed him scrambled eggs, one of his favs, for another week. If still no reactions we move onto the biggie, in my book at least, Wheat!!!!! If he passes the wheat reintroduction that will be huge for my cooking and baking!
After wheat, the doctor left it up to me as to what foods in what order I reintroduce next. But I'm to leave the reintroduction of dairy, soy, and corn for last. Since we know for sure that those foods cause him issues 100%. I worry about the reintro of those, just because I know it will be very, very rough, but the GI insists that this be done as scientifically as possible. So that means I have to take my personal feelings about how food affects my child out of the equation, which as a mom is super tough to do! So I will slap on my scientist lab coat and pretend that none of this bothers me, just to "prove" what I already know. Oh the life of a mom of a food intolerant kid!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)