Polenta Lasagna Recipe

POLENTA LASAGNA 

I am all about comfort food!  Since Andrew has celiac disease, we have needed to make some adjustments to our traditional recipes, including lasagna.  I do make lasagna with rice noodles, but the polenta gives a nice change. The kids LOVED it!

Polenta Lasagna Recipe:

2 rolls (16 oz) of refrigerated polenta 

1 onion

1 pound lean ground beef 

gluten free spaghetti sauce (I like Delgrosso's three cheese)

fresh mozzarella ball

1.  Preheat oven to 350F 

2.  Make your meat sauce - brown onion, add beef and add sauce

3.  Slice your polenta into thin pieces - I only used enough to make the 3 rows

4.  Slice your fresh mozzarella - 1/4" slices

Take your meat sauce and pour some on the bottom of a 13 X 9 pan.  Place the sliced polenta over the sauce.  You will make 3 rows, with the polenta overlapping each other.  Top with remaining sauce, and   place fresh mozzarella pieces over the sauce.  Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Then uncover and bake until the cheese is melted, browned, and bubbly.   

**Your left over polenta is great fried in a skillet with oil until crispy and topped with syrup.

Crock Pot Beef Stew Recipe

GLUTEN FREE CROCK POT BEEF STEW

Recipe:

1 pound stew meat cut in small pieces

5 cups of variety cut up vegetables (potato, carrot, celery, onion, frozen peas)

gluten free beef broth (large carton)

Gravy Master

cornstarch

1.  Add cut up vegetables into crock pot  

2.  Heat skillet over high heat - add 2 tbsp. olive oil - add cut up beef - sprinkle generously with cornstarch

3.  Cook beef until browned and transfer to crock pot

4.  In beef skillet, keep on high heat and add some beef broth and 1-2 tablespoons of Gravy Master.  You want to use the broth to scrape up all the yummy beef bits sticking to the bottom and sides of the skillet.   

5.  Pour yummy skillet broth into crock pot

6.  Add 3/4 of the carton of beef broth

7.  Cook on high for 5 hours

8.  If stew is not thick enough, I use 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with just enough water to mix it.  Stir it into the crock pot and let cook for about 5 minutes until thickened.

Week of Dinner Ideas - 1

I don't know about you, but when it comes to planning 7 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 7 afternoon snacks, 7 dinners and 7 evening snacks each and every week, it's downright exhausting.

I thought it might be helpful to share some of our favorite dinner menus with all of you.

1.  Grilled Salmon Skewers / Brown Rice / Grilled Zucchini

Since it's summer, I like to grill.  It's quick and lower in fat.  

Get your grill nice and hot.  I take metal skewers and coat them with some olive oil.  Take your salmon, rinse and pat dry.  Cut the salmon into cubes and skewer.  Salt and pepper.  I use a grill liner so the fish does not break apart and fall through the cracks.  Put your salmon skewers on the grill and turn to med-high heat.  You'll want to turn them every couple of minutes so each side gets cooked.  They will flake apart when done.

For the grilled zucchini, I take a whole zucchini and cut it in half.  Make sure you wash it first.  After cut,  brush olive oil on both sides and salt and pepper.  Place them on the grill and cook on both sides until tender.

Serve salmon skewers over brown rice and grilled zucchini on the side.

2.  Grilled Turkey Burgers w/ Cheese (No Bun) / Baked French Fries / Vegetable

I use Ore Ida french fries since they are gluten-free.  Also, you get 3 oz. of shoestrings for roughly 22g carbs (be sure to double check the label).  That's a nice size portion! Add your favorite vegetable on the side.

3.  Chicken Stir Fry / Brown Rice

Stir fry's are a great way to use up leftover vegetable that you have hanging out in your fridge.  You can either cook your chicken in a pan or put it on the grill.  I stir fry all of my veggies in olive oil.  I like to use broccoli, carrots, onion and canned Chinese corn.  The kids love the Chinese corn!  I then add some wheat free teriyaki sauce.  You can also top it with some cashews.

4.  Pork Tenderloin / Roasted Potatoes / Vegetable

I like to grill the pork tenderloin so I can roast my potatoes in the oven.  For the potatoes, I wash and dry some small potatoes.  I cut them each in half and put them in a bowl.  Add 1 onion sliced and some minced garlic.  Drizzle olive oil all over mixture and add salt and pepper.  Pour the mixture on a baking pan and roast at 400 degrees until nice and brown and tender.  It takes about 30 minutes.  Add your favorite cooked vegetable on the side.

5.  Pasta / Turkey Kielbasi / Broccoli

Boil your pasta until tender and steam broccoli.  Meanwhile, take your turkey kielbasi (I use Hillshire Farms) and thinly slice.  Take a skillet, turn to med-high heat and add olive oil.  Wait until the oil is hot and then add your turkey kielbasi.  Keep turning until they all get nice and brown.  Once brown, I will add some water and continue cooking for a couple of minutes so it makes a yummy gravy.

Mix the pasta, turkey kielbasi and chopped broccoli and top with grated parmesan cheese.  

***You must read all turkey kielbasi packages if you are following a gluten free diet!***

Pork Roast and Fruit Gravy Recipe

This pork roast is absolutely delicious!  The best part is that it's done in the crock pot.

Recipe:

1. Put 8 oz. beef broth in crock pot and set to high.  I use Kitchen Basics since it's gluten free.
2. Brown pork roast in olive oil in a skillet over high heat to get a nice crust on it.
3. Once browned, transfer to crock pot.
4. In a small bowl, mix 1/4 cup wheat free Tamari Sauce, about 1/3 jar. of sugar free peach preserves.  (I used Smucker's sweetened with Splenda), 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic.
5. Once sauce is mixed, pour over pork roast in the crock pot.
6. Let cook on high for about 5 hours.

After the 5 hours, you could use the juice as is or make a gravy (the gravy is pictured above):

1. Take pork roast out of crock pot and cover with foil to keep warm.
2. Pour all juices from crock pot into a saucepan and bring to a boil.
3. Mix 2 heaping tablespoons of corn starch and enough water to make it completely dissolve.
4. Once the juices are boiling, whisk the corn starch and water mixture until it thickens (this only takes a couple of minutes).

Since it's grilling season, I decided to add some yummy potatoes.

Recipe:

1. Preheat grill.
2. Par cook 4 potatoes (red or white) in the microwave.  I cooked mine for about 4 minutes. 
3. In a large mixing bowl, add 1 large sliced sweet white onion, 1/2 sliced red pepper and a little minced garlic.
4. Drizzle olive oil all over potato mixture and mix.
5. Salt and pepper
6. Take two large pieces of aluminum foil and make a cross with them.  Put your potato mixture in the middle.  Pull up two of the sides and roll down two times and then pull the other sides in and roll down two times.  Make sure that you leave room for it to expand.  I actually ended up splitting mine into two packets.
7. Put your packets on the grill with medium high heat and close the lid.  Cook for approx.  20 minutes.
8. Be EXTREMELY careful when you open up the packets.  The steam is very hot!

Pizza Recipe

Once our son was diagnosed with celiac disease, we thought our pizza days were surely over.

Until.....



We found Schar Pizza Crusts and Ragu Homemade Style Pizza Sauce!



Per a phone conversation with Ragu, they assured that all their pizza sauces are gluten free.  The traditional pizza sauce lists modified food starch on their label.  The lady at Ragu said that it is from corn.  I personally use the Homemade Style.

A note for diabetics:  1 serving = 1/3 of a pizza crust = 30g.  The plate shown above contains 1 serving. 

Baked Salmon Recipe

Thankfully, salmon is one fish that all of my children will eat. 

I used to be a person that was completely discouraged by cooking fish of any kind. 

That was until I found out that fish is actually one of the easiest foods to cook!

Best way to cook salmon: I use 1-1/4 lb. for our family of 5.  I always ask them for a center piece or to cut the tail off.
1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2.  Take your fresh salmon out and rinse under cold water.  Dry with paper towel.
3.  Spray your broiler pan with pam. 
4.  Melt about 1-2 tbsp. of butter in microwave. 
5.  Drizzle melted butter all over salmon.
6.  Season with salt and pepper.  If you do this before the butter, all of the seasoning will come off.
7.  Depending on the thickness, it will take about 10-15 minutes to cook.  When you cut into the middle, it should just separate.
8.  I like to then put my salmon under the broiler for a couple of minutes.  Turn your oven on broil and put it as close to the top as you can.  The butter will start to brown and make a yummy crust on your salmon.  Be careful to only keep it there for a couple of minutes. 
9.  The butter will give your salmon a nice sweet taste!

I like to pair my salmon with gluten free mashed potatoes or risotto and fresh asparagus.

Chicken Stir Fry Recipe

I took this picture before I mixed everything together.  I wasn't sure how the kids were going to eat the veggies, so I kept them separate when I presented it to them. 

I honestly couldn't believe my eyes as they DEVOURED it!

HERE'S THE SECRET..................................... 

San-J Gluten Free Teriyaki Sauce!




Gluten Free Chicken Stir Fry Recipe:

Ingredients:
Thin sliced chicken
Brown rice (you can also use white rice or any other gluten free grain)
Broccoli slaw (I find this with the salad mixes in the grocery store.  It has a mix of shredded broccoli, red cabbage and carrots.)
Package of frozen veggies (I used this to keep the cost down.)
Gluten Free Teriyaki Sauce
Gluten Free Chicken Broth
Gluten Free Cashews
Olive Oil

1.  Put olive oil in pan (med-high to high heat) until hot.  Add thin sliced chicken and brown completely before flipping.  After chicken is browned on other side, pour in gluten free teriyaki sauce.  I probably only used 1/4 of the bottle.  It's completely up to you on how much you use.  I just wanted to make sure all the chicken was coated.  I then added some gluten free chicken broth to thin the sauce and cut the flavor a bit.  I probably added in about 1/4 cup.  If your chicken is not fully cooked yet, I would turn the heat to simmer and cover for about 5 minutes.  Just make sure that you completely cook your chicken and it's no longer pink.

2.  Meanwhile, put olive oil in another pan (med-high heat) until hot.  Add bag of broccoli slaw.  Keep stirring until it gets tender and limp.  Broccoli slaw can be tough if not cooked enough.  If your pan starts to burn on the bottom, simply add some gluten free chicken broth a little at a time.  It cuts the fat and helps to steam the broccoli.

3.  Pop your frozen veggies in the microwave until cooked. (I simply did this to cut costs.  Feel free to use all fresh veggies if you want.)

4.  Serve together.  I drizzled the yummy sauce over everything and topped with gluten free cashews. 

Enjoy!



Easy Beef Chili Recipe

Gluten Free Beef Chili Recipe

1 onion chopped

1 - 1-1/4 pound ground beef

1 can chili beans

1 can diced tomatoes

1.  Brown onion and beef until no longer pink

2.  Add chili beans and diced tomatoes

3.  Simmer 15 minutes

I use the following chili beans and diced tomatoes.  The chili beans are listed gluten free on the label.

This chili makes a wonderful taco salad or nachos!

Makes approx. 5 cups.  I usually have JUST enough for my family of 5.  This can easily be doubled. 

The Cost of Gluten Free

Alright, Andrew has been eating a gluten free diet for a little over 2 months now and I honestly think it's going to take us for BROKE!

I mean.....$6.00 for a loaf of bread, $5.00 for a package of cookies, $7.99 for frozen french bread pizza, $7.00 for frozen chicken fingers.  It is absolutely ridiculous!

As if my regular grocery bill isn't bad enough.  I almost fell over when I had to pay $4.99 for a head of cauliflower the other day.  But now.......it's downright scary with having to add a gluten free grocery bill on top of everything else!

I am reaching out to all of you that share my frustration.  How do you keep your grocery bill down?  I've not been able to find a gluten free coupon site.  Please share your resources.....I BEG YOU!!!!

We have a Trader Joe's within traveling distance so I might have to check them out.  I've just been buying everything at my local grocery store and local gluten free store.  Anyone shop at Trader Joe's?

How about online resources?  I get e-mails from the Gluten Free Mall, but they seem expensive to me.

Please help this GLUTEN FREE mom!!!!

Gluten Free Sirloin Roast Recipe

This recipe is perfect for a Sunday dinner or entertaining.  Before going gluten free, I would always use soup mix as my base.  Now I just use gluten free beef broth with cut up onions.  The aromas will just fill your house with yumminess!!!

Feel free to cook this in the oven or crock pot!

Ingredients:

- 3 pound sirloin roast

- 1 carton (32 oz.) gluten free beef broth - I use Kitchen Basics

- Cut up onions

- cornstarch

I first brown my roast in some olive oil.  Once brown, I add the broth and cut up onion.  Cover and cook in oven at 350 until shreds easily.  I usually cook it for 4-5 hours. 

Take the roast out, remove string and shred with two forks.  I drain the liquid from the onions because my children do not like them.  It's a personal preference.  I put the liquid broth back into the pan and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, I add my cornstarch mixture (cornstarch mixed with water).  Make sure you mix your cornstarch with water before adding or you will end up with a lumpy mess!  This will make a yummy gravy.

Because me and my husband like onions,  I actually saute some with mushrooms in a separate pan and add them over our roast. 

Serve with mashed potatoes and a vegetable and you have one delicious meal!  It's also great served with toasted gluten free bread to suck up all that yummy gravy.



Mrs. Leeper's Chicken Alfredo Product Review

I'm always on the lookout for quick gluten free meals.  This chicken alfredo by Mrs. Leeper's is delicious!  The noodles taste like regular wheat noodles and are not at all mushy.

This is a one pot meal which makes it a cinch to cook and clean up.  I used 2 boxes for our family of five and had a little left over.

Serve this with some steamed broccoli or a salad and you're good to go!