Oatmeal

Ingredients:

• 1/4 Cup GF oats
• 1/4 Cup applesauce
• 1/2 Cup water
• dash of salt
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Mix all ingredients in a microwavable bowl
2. Heat in microwave for 3 min. stirring occasionally
3. Let cool and serve 

* I like to add a bit of brown sugar to mine right before I eat it

Commentary:

Before I went gluten-free, I hated oatmeal.  Even as a baby, I would spit it out. Something happened though. Perhaps it was my body's way of saying 'no more Rice Chex for breakfast.' Whatever the reason, one day I decided I wanted apple crisp for breakfast.  I didn't want to take the time to make it though.  So, I grabbed my GF oats and followed the instructions on the back, with a few minor changes.  To make it more like apple crisp, I added applesauce and cinnamon.  And now, I love oatmeal. Hopefully this recipe will add variety to your breakfast and teach you to crave oatmeal too.

Pumpkin Pie Squares

Pumpkin filling

Ingredients:

·         1 Pie Pumpkin
·         1 1/3 Cup sweet condensed milk (one 14 oz can)
·         1 egg
·         1 ¼ tsp cinnamon
·         ½ tsp nutmeg
·         ½ tsp ginger powder
·         ¼ tsp ground cloves
·         1 Cup hot water

Instructions:

1.       Heat oven to 350° F
2.       Cut pumpkin in half without the stem
3.       Scoop out the seeds and strings
4.       Place pumpkin halves cut-side down on foil lined baking sheets
5.       Cover with foil
6.       Bake at 350° F until tender (about 2 hours)
7.       Cool
8.       Scoop out flesh and beat in a heavy duty mixer on high until smooth
*a potato masher or food processor could also be used
9.       Drain if too watery
10.   Beat together just until smooth; 1 1/3 Cup smooth pumpkin, sweet condensed milk, egg, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and hot water
11.   Pour into a greased 9x13 inch baking pan
12.   Bake at 375°F for 55-65 minutes
*center will still move slightly
13.   Take out of oven and cool slightly
14.   Using a rubber spatula, scrape pumpkin filling onto the GF pumpkin squares crust (see recipe below)
15.   Smooth it out evenly
16.   Bake for another 2-5 minutes, just to slightly brown the top of the pumpkin filling and make it look more presentable
17.   Refrigerate until cold
18.   Spread whipped cream (see recipe below) on top and serve cold

GF Pumpkin Squares Crust

Ingredients:

·         2 Cups rice flour

·         1/3 Cup almond flour

·         2/3 Cup potato starch

·         ½ Cup GF oats

·         ½ Cup brown sugar

·         ½ Cup butter, softened

Instructions:

1.       Mix rice flour, almond flour, and potato starch in a bowl
2.       Combine 1 Cup of this mixture with the oats, sugar and butter
3.       Press into an ungreased 9x13 inch baking pan
4.       Bake at 350°F for 10-15 min.
5.       Let cool

Whipped Cream

Ingredients:

·         About 2 Cups heavy whipping cream
·         Sugar
·         Vanilla

Instructions:

1.       Beat about 2 Cups of heavy whipping cream with a mixer until cream is fluffy and peaks form
2.       Fold in about ¼ Cup sugar and 1 tsp vanilla
3.       Fold in more sugar and vanilla to taste
4.       Keep cold

Commentary: 

This last September, I was craving pumpkin pie so bad.  I went to the stores to try and find the canned pumpkin filling but couldn't find any.  Apparently pumpkin season doesn't arrive until October. Anyway, you can imagine what I did when I finally saw pie pumpkins at the store.

I had never made a pie from scratch before, but luckily, the pie pumpkin I bought had a recipe attached to the pumpkin.  The recipe was great except for the 'put smooth pumpkin in pie shell' part. To fix this, I thought pumpkin squares might be easier to make GF.  So, I looked on the internet and found the general instructions for pumpkin squares crust. Of course I had to substitute the wheat flour for rice flour and and some starch, but I also decided to include almond flour because I thought that sounded good.

The next part is easy, right?  'Pour smooth pumpkin mixture into shell and bake for an hour.'  This actually didn't work out so well.  The crust ended up burning.  So, I tried cooking the pumpkin filling by itself for 30 min. and then adding it to the crust to finish cooking.  The crust still burned.  The only thing that really ended up working was cooking the pumpkin filling by itself for the full amount of time and then adding it on top of the crust. The pumpkin squares didn't look very appetizing after that. So I smoothed the pumpkin all out and let it brown in the oven for a few min. Then, I added whipped cream on top. After that, no one knew the difference.

As a last note, I prefer the pumpkin squares after they've sat in the fridge for two days.  The sitting time makes the crust not as hard.

Celery Sticks

Ingredients:

• celery
• peanut butter
• raisins
• craisins (dried cranberries)

Instructions:

1. Wash celery and blot dry
2. Cut off bad ends
3. Cut the rest of the celery into sticks about 5 inches long
4. Scoop peanut butter into the celery canal so it is filled
5. Add raisins or craisins or both on top of the peanut-butter 
6. Serve as is 

Commentary:

Ok, I know what you're probably thinking.  'Celery Sticks? I don't need a recipe for this. Everyone has had a celery stick before.' This may be true, but sometime when you switch your diet, you forget about some of the things you can eat. 

Back when I was a single student at college, I really needed some good snacks.  My nice roommate decided to make me celery sticks to help out. Now, I had eaten these as a kid, but had kind of forgotten about them. At first I didn't want to eat them (I didn't much care for celery), but I tried them anyway.  They were delicious!  Her secret...craisins. They add a tart kick that complements the peanut butter. Because of her, I will now eat celery, and hopefully you will too.    

Squash Spaghetti

Spaghetti Squash Noodles

Ingredients:

·         Spaghetti squash
·         Water

Instructions:

1.       Cut spaghetti squash in half
2.       Put squash halves in a deep pan, cut sides up
3.       Add enough water to pan to reach half-way up the squash
4.       Cover
5.       Bring water to a steady soft boil
6.       Let steam until squash is soft, but not mushy (about 20 min.)
7.       Turn off heat and using hot pads, remove squash to a plate
8.       Let cool slightly
9.       Take a fork and peel away the squash noodles

10.   Put all squash noodles in one bowl to get ready to serve

Spaghetti Sauce

Ingredients: 

·         2 lbs of ground hamburger
·         2 ¼ tsp seasoned salt
·         1 large onion, diced
·         3 large cloves of garlic, minced
·         1 can (29 oz) tomato sauce
·         2 cups of water
·         2 Tbsp corn starch
·         1 tsp vinegar
·         ½ tsp salt
·         ½ tsp black pepper
·         ¼ tsp red pepper
·         4 tsp Italian seasoning (I like ones that include basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, & marjoram)
·         Shredded cheese

Instructions:

1.       Brown hamburger with 1 tsp of the seasoned salt in a large frying pan
2.        Drain grease
3.       Stir in remaining 1 ¼ tsp seasoned salt and the diced onion to meat and cook on medium heat until the onion is soft
*some oil may need to be added to the pan so the onions don’t burn
4.       Add garlic and fry for about 30 sec.
5.       Add tomato sauce and water to fry pan and stir
6.       Bring to a soft boil
7.       Stir in corn starch
8.       When the sauce has thickened, turn heat to low
9.       Stir in vinegar, salt, black pepper, red pepper, and Italian seasoning to sauce
10.   Serve over spaghetti squash noodles with shredded cheese

Commentary:

For all you squash haters, you have to try this recipe.  It will change your mind.  It did mine.

One day, my mother-in-law decided to have us over for dinner and server spaghetti. When I got to her house, she was in the process of cooking a squash and told me that it was for me to use as noodles.  I was a little scared. I then watched as she took a fork to the spaghetti squash causing squash noodles to peel off.  So cool!  After that, I had to try the spaghetti with the squash as my noodles.  Delicious! I'm now sharing this trick with you. It's healthy and cheaper than rice noodles.

Just to warn you, I like my spaghetti sauce spicy. Also, you can add diced tomatoes and/or mushrooms to the sauce if you would like.   

Taco Soup

*Picture to come later...(sorry everyone, the soup was so good that I ate it all before I could take a picture)

Ingredients:

·         1 can kidney beans
·         1 can black beans
·         2 lbs ground hamburger
·         1 ½ cups corn    
·         1 small green pepper, diced
·         1 small red pepper, diced
·         1 ½ tsp salt
·         2 large cloves of garlic, minced
·         1 tsp black pepper
·         ¼ tsp ground red pepper
·         1 tsp onion powder
·         1 ½ tsp cumin powder
·         2 tsp chili powder
·         1 can green chillis (1/2 cup fresh, diced)
·      Cooked rice 

Instructions:

1.       Boil 2 quarts of water in a large pot
2.       Add kidney beans, black beans, and corn to pot
3.       Let simmer and stir occasionally
4.       Brown ground hamburger in a fry pan
5.       Drain grease
6.       Add hamburger to pot, continue to simmer and stir
7.       Fry green and red peppers in the fry pan until soft
8.       Add them to pot with the rest of the ingredients.
9.       Stir and let simmer for a few more minutes or until the whole soup is hot
10.   Serve over rice

Commentary:

This recipe came from my good friend, Annalisse. She has an amazing talent for food.  The only things I really did were decrease the amount of corn and measure how much of each spice I add.  I also like this a lot less soupy than she does.

One of the things that I really love about this recipe is its ability to use up leftovers.  Just about any vegetable in any quantity could potentially be added. Go ahead and experiment.  See what you like.  

Thai Curry

  Ingredients:
  
·         3 cans of coconut milk
·         4 Tbsp Mae Ploy Yellow Curry Paste
·         2 tsp salt
·         6 small potatoes, peeled
·         3-4 green peppers
·         1 bok choy
·         2 medium onions
·         3 medium chicken breasts
·         8 green onions
·         4 cloves garlic, minced

·         ·      Cooked rice

Instructions:

1.     Pour coconut milk into a pot and heat on high
*keep pot covered unless your are adding ingredients or stirring
2.     Stir in curry seasoning and salt
3.     Cube potatoes and add to coconut milk
4.     When boiling, turn heat to medium and let simmer, stirring occasionally
5.     Chop peppers and fry in a separate pan with a little oil until almost done
6.     Chop bok choy and onions and add to frying pan
7.     Fry peppers, bok choy, and onions until tender, stirring occasionally 
8.     Cube chicken, add to the pot, stir
9.     Dice green onions and add to pot
10.     Add garlic to pot and stir
11 .       When chicken and potatoes are cooked, stir in peppers, onions, and bok choy to the pot.
12.     Serve over rice

Commentary:

I love this recipe! It tastes so good. Be careful not to eat to much, though.  Coconut milk is not that healthy. 

My friend, Mary, showed me how to make Thai curry.  The recipe is in fact listed on the Mae Ploy yellow curry paste container.  I just decided that chicken was my favorite meat to use and that I wanted more garlic.  I also added peppers, bok choy, and green onions to give the curry more substance.

Just in case you didn't know, you can eat the white and green leafy part of the bok choy.  The first time I taught my husband how to make this, he threw away the green part and I was sad.  Luckily, I had just put in a new bag to line the garbage can so it wasn't a big deal to pull the green part back out. 

Feel free to add other vegetables and meat.  You might try pork and bean sprouts for example. Let us know how your curry turns out!

Nepalese Curry

Ingredients:

·         3 green peppers
·         2 medium onions
·         One cauliflower head, cut into bite-sized pieces
·         3-4 chicken breasts
·         1 large (3 small) tomato
·         3 Tbsp curry powder (MDH Madras curry powder is the best)
·         1/8 tsp red pepper
·         1/8 tsp turmeric powder              
·         ½ tsp coriander powder
·         1/8 tsp white pepper    
·         1 inch ginger root, peeled and minced
·         4 large cloves of garlic, minced
·         1 tsp salt             
·         ½ lime
·      Cooked rice 

Instructions:

1.       Cut the peppers into 2 inch strips.
2.       In a large deep fry pan or wok, fry peppers in a small amount of oil until skin is soft.
3.       At the same time, steam the cauliflower until soft.
4.       Cut onions into strips and add to the peppers.
5.       Cube the chicken breast and wedge the tomato.
6.       Push peppers and onions to one side of the pan/wok.
7.       Put chicken, tomatoes, curry powder, red pepper, turmeric, coriander, white pepper, ginger root, garlic, and salt in the pan/wok on the other side of the peppers and onions.
8.       Keeping the two sides separated, occasionally stir each side separately.
9.       When chicken is cooked and the tomatoes have cooked down, stir everything in the pan/wok together.
10.   Fold in cauliflower.
11.   Cook until the water is all evaporated, stirring occasionally.
12.   Squeeze lime over curry and stir.
13.   Serve over rice.

Commentary:

This meal is spicy and delicious. It will definitively mix up your food routine.    

One time, I had a roommate with a bunch of Nepalese friends. Often, she would cook with them and then I would ask her for the recipes. I would also talk to some people from Nepal directly and ask them for their recipes. This is how I came about this curry recipe. It's a little different than what they do, but I love it.
 
To change it, I use boneless chicken, not bone-in chicken. I also just push the meat to one side of the pan instead of putting the meat in a separate bowl with the spices and then adding it to the pan/wok. Lastly, I use more vegetables.

I really like to eat this curry with brown rice, it is more filling. Also, if you like cilantro (I don't) go ahead and add it.    

Borsch

 Ingredients

• 4 medium potatoes, cubed
• 2 peppers (green, yellow, red, or orange), diced 
• 2 ½ tsp
• 3 quarts water 
• 1 large beet, grated
• 2-3 Tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp rosemary
• ½ Tbsp oregano
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1-2 onions, diced 
• 3 carrots, grated
• 1 lb- 1 ½ lb meat, cubed (could be pork, chicken breasts, or beef) 
• 1 medium white cabbage, shredded

Optional

•          3 Tbsp tomato paste
•          1 tsp vinegar (to maintain red color better)

Instructions:

• Add potatoes, peppers, and salt to water in an 8 quart pot. 
• Cover and cook on medium heat for 10 min. 
• Put beats in a fry pan with oil, rosemary, oregano, garlic, and optional items if desired. 
• Cover and cook on medium heat until the beats are easy to stir (about 20 min.). 
• Add onion, carrots, and meat to the pot and let simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.   
• Add beet mixture and cabbage to the pot and stir.    

*You may need to add extra water to the pot to submerge the vegetables. 

• Let simmer, covered, for another 20-30 minutes.  
• Serve as is, or with a dab of sour cream.

Commentary:

My husband served his mission in Russia and loves Borsch. He taught this recipe to me. He also said that Russians prefer to use pork, but we like chicken better. So mix things up and see what you like.

I would highly advice that you wear junk clothes to cook in. When you grate the beat, the purple juices go everywhere.  They will stain your clothes. 

Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 quarts water
• 1/2 Tbsp crushed rosemary
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 medium peeled potatoes, cubed (about 3 Cups)
• 6 medium peeled carrots, chopped (about 3 Cups)
• 1 large onion, diced (about 2 1/2 Cups)
• 3 medium peeled potatoes, cubed (about 2 1/2 Cups)
• 3 stalks of celery, chopped (about 3 1/2 Cups)
• 1/2 Tbsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 3 large raw chicken breasts, cubed
• 5-6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp onion powder

Instructions:

• Boil the water in a 5 quart pot
• Put crushed rosemary in a sieve and set inside the pot (far enough in for the rosemary to boil but not to escape the sieve)
• Let rosemary boil for 15 min. and then pull it out with the sieve
• Add the 1/2 tsp salt to the water with the 4 medium potatoes, cubed
• Let boil until the potatoes get mushy, stirring occasionally (These potatoes will be used to thicken the soup.)
• If you haven’t already washed and chopped/diced the other ingredients, you can do so while you wait for the potatoes to cook
• When the potatoes are mushy, add the carrots, the onion, the other 3 potatoes, the celery, salt, and black pepper
• Cook on a medium boil, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened but still slightly crunchy
• Add the chicken and cook on a medium boil until the chicken is thoroughly done and the vegetables are soft
• Turn heat to low
• Add the garlic and onion powder
• Stir and taste (add any extra seasonings if desired)
• Turn heat off, and serve

Commentary:  

One time I was really sick and all I wanted was chicken noodle soup.  I couldn't go to the store and buy it though, so I decided to make if myself. I had never done this before, though, so I had no idea what I was doing. I ended up cooking the potatoes too long and they turned to mush. This turned out to be the greatest idea though.  The potatoes ended up becoming a great thickener.  Plus, they tasted delicious.  

If you would like this to be chicken noodle soup, cook rice noodles separately and add them at the end. You might also want to reduce the amount of potatoes you use if you do this.

Large Green Salad

Ingredients:

2.5 quarts shredded lettuce (my favorite is romaine)
1.5 quarts spinach
2 1/2 Cups shredded cheese
2 Cups grated carrots (3 medium carrots)
4 Cups cubed tomatoes (2 large tomatoes)
6 green onions, diced
1 1/2 Cups cubed ham
2 small crowns of broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces
4-6 boiled eggs, diced


Instructions:

Rinse all vegetables with cold water
Pat dry the vegetables with a clean cloth
Toss all ingredients into a large bowl and serve with your favorite GF salad dressing

Commentary:

My husband loves salad.  He will sit down and eat 2 quarts of it. He had to teach me how to love salad, though. This recipe is the kind of salad he likes to make.  We make it so often that now I like it too. It's a good way to fill up on your daily dose of vegetables.

If you would like, try adding radishes, alfalfa sprouts, sunflower seeds, and kidney beans.  This would help turn the meal into a large salad bar.