Monday, December 30, 2013

4 Walnut Apple Salad for #WeekdaySupper

I hope that everyone had an enjoyable Christmas, and a Happy New Year's coming up. Here's a quick and easy salad I made my family for Christmas, one night with roasted walnuts the other with almonds and both nights there was no salad left over. It's a great salad that goes well with any main dish, and I've had it several times as my main course with dinner (sometimes with chicken sprinkled in). I hope you enjoy, and be sure to check out the rest of our Weekday Supper recipes this week:
Monday - this walnut apple salad
Tuesday - The Not So Cheesy Kitchen - Lentil Soup
Wednesday - Shockingly Delicious - Black-Eyed Pea Quesadillas for New Year's Day Good Luck
Thursday - Cindy's Recipes and Writings - Chicken Barley Soup
Friday - girlichef - Balsamic Brown Sugar-Glazed Pork Tenderloin {slow cooker}

Prep Time 10 minutes
Four Servings

Ingredients
1 medium serving bowl filled with Mixed Greens
2 handfuls of dried cranberries
2 handfuls of toasted walnuts
1 apple
1/4 cup goat cheese

3 tbsp olive oil
1 lemon
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp dry mustard

Steps
In a serving bowl, add the greens and cranberries. Chop the walnuts and cut the apple into cubes. Add to the salad bowl. Separate the goat cheese into small pieces and sprinkle over the salad.

In a small bowl, add the oil, powders, salt, pepper, mustard. Zest the lemon and squeeze the juice into the dressing bowl. Whisk until the oil and lemon have blended together. Drizzle the dressing over top the salad and toss it.


Sunday, December 29, 2013

19 #SundaySupper - Gluten Free Cronuts


Happy Sunday everyone! Today the Sunday Supper group is doing a New Year's celebration theme. The recipes you see this week will either be reflections on the past year, or resolutions for next year. I love to convert recipes and make them gluten free, so I wanted to kick off the new year with a real challenge: cronuts. Cronuts were a 2013 food trend that married donuts and croissants. I've never eaten one, nor had a ever seen one in person. So I set out on the internet to look for how to make cronuts, made a few attempts, and came up with the recipe below. It takes quite a bit of work, but it is totally worth it! I love the taste and smell you get some from something deep fried, and the flakiness that comes from folding cold butter into a pastry dough. (Credit for the original recipe at: http://www.food.com/recipe/homemade-cronuts-507239)
Check out all of the recipes from everyone, and be sure to join us at 7pm EST for Twitter chat!

Join us this weekend for Reflections and Resolutions!
Breakfast
Appetizers & Snacks
Main Dishes & Sides
Desserts & Drinks
Active Prep Time: 45 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 4 hours
Bake Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients
3/4 cup warm milk
1 tbsp active dry yeast
1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cup sweet rice flour
3/4 cup potato flour (not starch)
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1/4 brown rice flour
4 tbsp xantham gum
1 tsp salt

1/4 cup sweet rice flour
1 cup room temperature butter

3 tbsp maple syrup
1 1/2 tbsp heavy cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 quart canola oil

Steps
In a bowl, mix the milk, yeast, sugar, eggs, and vanilla together. In another small bowl, mix the flours, starch, gum, and salt together. Mix the flour blend into the milk mixture, half a cup at a time, until the dough forms. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Beat the butter and 1/4 cup flour together. Between two parchment paper pieces, roll the dough out to 1/8 inch thick rectangle. Spread the butter evenly over the dough, and then fold the dough in thirds like you would fold a letter, then fold into a square shape. Wrap in the paper, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

After the 30 minutes, roll the dough into a 1/8 inch rectangle, and repeat the folding process. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Repeat this process twice, and refrigerate for an hour after the final time.

Whisk the sugar, syrup, and cream together. Set aside.

In a pot, preheat the oil to 350F. Roll the dough out into 1 inch thickness, and cut into doughnut rings. Deep fry the dough until golden. Drain the oil on paper towels, and drizzle the frosting over the cronuts. Enjoy!

Sunday, December 22, 2013

21 #SundaySupper: A Christmas Carol Plum Pudding

Hey everyone! This week for Sunday Supper the theme is holiday music and movie inspired dishes. I love the feeling of being with friends and family during the holidays, and I enjoy showing my love for them through the food we cook and eat together.
Growing up I loved watching the Muppets (enough so that I got way to excited a few years ago when the Muppets made a comeback). I always loved watching a Muppet Christmas Carol, which inspired me to do a traditional British dessert, plum pudding. I know that it may sound a bit odd, but what plum pudding truly is gets lost in translation a bit. Plum pudding has more of a cake rather than pudding consistency, and in Britain plum means any type of raisin-like fruit. Traditionally the cake is steamed by using equipment to steam the cake in a pot containing steamy water. I don't have the equipment myself to do this, so I like to bake mine in the oven in a water bath. A water bath is a method of baking where a cake pan or ramekin are placed into a larger deep pan that contains water. The concept is the water bakes the cake more consistently and provides some steam in the oven.

So please check out my recipe below, and be sure to check out everyone else's recipes in the list below. Be sure to join us on Twitter this evening at 7pm EST for a #SundaySupper twitter chat!


Party Appetizers & Snacks: Oven-Roasted Applesauce Scented with Rosemary & Vanilla-Inspired by the song "Christmas in the Trenches"- Shockingly Delicious Roasted Chestnuts Inspired by the movie "The Christmas Song" - Food Lust People Love A Popcorn Trio Inspired by the song "Let it Snow" - Hot Momma's Kitchen Chaos Chai Tea Abominable Snow Buddies Inspired by the movie "Rudolph" - Cupcakes & Kale Chips Raisin Bran Muffins for a Crowd Inspired by the movie "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" - In The Kitchen With Audrey and Maurene Icicle Candy and Reindeer Snacks Inspired by the movie "Snow" - Treats & Trinkets A Christmas Carol Plum Pudding Inspired by the movie "A Christmas Carol" - No One Likes Crumbley Cookies Yukon Mashed Potato Cakes Inspired by the movie "Rudolph" - Cookin' Mimi Christmas Pudding Inspired by the song "Over the River and Through the Woods" - A Kitchen Hoor Pumpkin Pudding Inspired by the movie "Nightmare Before Christmas" - Basic N Delicious Elf-Inspired Christmas "Grams" Inspired by the movie "Elf" - MarocMama Sugarplums Inspired by the movie "The Nutcracker" - Happy Baking Days Chai Spiced Roasted Nuts Inspired by the song "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire" - Take A Bite Out of Boca
Festive Main Dishes
Maple Syrup Spaghetti- Inspired by the movie "Elf"- Momma's Meals Who Hash Inspired by the movie "How The Grinch Stole Christmas" -girlichef Ginger Orange Glazed Cornish Hens Inspired by the song "The 12 Days of Christmas" -Sue's Nutrition Buzz NY Hot Dog with Sabrett-style Onion Sauce Inspired by the movie "Die Hard" - Small Wallet, Big Appetite Classic Caesar Salad Inspired by the movie "The Santa Clause" - The Little Ferraro Kitchen Individuals Meatloaves & Horseradish Mashed Potatoes for Mommy's Little Piggies - Inspired by the movie "A Christmas Story" - The Not So Cheesy Kitchen Christmas Waffles Inspired by the TV special "A Claymation Christmas Celebration" - Curious Cuisiniere Filthy Animal Pizza Inspired by the movie "Home Alone" - Foxes Love Lemons Chicken Orzo Soup Inspired by the song "12 Days of Christmas" - Family Foodie Brandied Candied Sweet Potatoes Inspired by the song "Christmas Is The Time To Say ‘I Love You’ " - Cindy's Recipes and Writings
Sweet Holiday Treats:
Gin and Tonic Cupcakes Inspired by Adam Sandler's " The Chanukah Song" - The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen Chocolate Chip Shortbread Bars Inspired by the movie "Love Actually" - Magnolia Days Gingerbread Marshmallows Inspired by the song "Marshmallow World" - Jane's Adventures in Dinner Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Cookies Inspired by the movie "The Gremlins" - Killer Bunnies, Inc White Chocolate Peppermint Fudge Inspired by the song "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" - Alida's Kitchen Snowball Cookies - Inspired by the movie "White Christmas" -The Foodie Army Wife Penuche Fudge Inspired by the movie "Elf" - Pies and Plots Hot Chocolate Cookies Inspired by the movie "Santa Clause" - Mess Makes Food South Pacific Coconut Tres Leche Cake Inspired by the movie "South Pacific" -The Ninja Baker Cookies & Cream Fudge Inspired by the movie "Elf" - The Messy Baker
Cozy Drinks:
Toasted Coconut Hot Cocoa- Inspired by the song "Let It Snow"- Chocolate Moosey The Christmas Gram Inspired by the movie "Elf" - An Appealing Plan Eggnog Hot Chocolate Inspired by the movie "National Lampoons Christmas Vacation" - Peanut Butter and Peppers Vermont Hot Cocoa Inspired by the movie "White Christmas" - Kudos Kitchen By Renee Spiked Hot Chocolate Peppermint Ice Cream Floats Inspired by the song "Holly Jolly Christmas " -NeighborFood

Baked Plum Pudding

Prep Time - 1 hour
Bake Time - 40 minutes

Ingredients
1 1/2 lb raisins, diced
1 lb currants, diced
1 cup thinly sliced orange
1 cup candied lemon or orange peel
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 lb suet, chopped
1 cup, 2 tbsp brandy
1/2 lb walnuts, chopped
1 1/4 lb ground Udi's white bread
1 cup scaled milk
1 cup port
12 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

Steps

Combine the raisins, currants, orange, peel, spices, suet, and brandy in a medium bowl and cover. Let sit for 40 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the bread, milk, and port. Set aside. Beat the fruit mixture, adding in the sugar and eggs, one egg at a time. Pour the bread mixture into the fruit mixture and blend until well combined.

Transfer the pudding to a bundt pan. Place the bundt pan into a larger, 3-4 inch deep pan, and fill the deep pan halfway with water.

Place into a 350F oven and bake for 40 minutes. Store in an airtight container in a cool place.

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

0 Nailed it! Whipped Chocolate Ganache Attempt #1


Hey everyone, I hope y'all are having a good week so far. This weekend I made gluten free cupcakes for my sister's birthday, which she loved despite the over whipped ganache. I'm currently trying to perfect a whipped ganache recipe, and my first attempt turned out a bit...stiff. Hopefully the next batch will turn out better. Once I get the recipe solidified I aim to share it on the blog in both a written and video format. 

What are your most humorous Nailed It moments?

Monday, December 16, 2013

0 Happy Monday!

I went this past weekend to the Coffee Bar in D.C. and am seriously missing this beautiful and delicious mocha. Starbucks ftw this morning. What's getting you up and ready this Monday morning?

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

0 Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Silk Pie

At a recent dinner with friends I bought this and it became a huge hit. The best part is the totally unplanned crust. I was trying a new store bought gluten free pie dough, and followed the directions for baking the crust. Sadly I ended up with a "blackened" pie crust that just would not have cut it. Luckily I bought moondance gluten free cookie bars, and used them as the crust. The pie turned out great, and better than originally planned!

Active Prep Time: 20 minutes
Inactive prep time:2 hours

Ingredients
moondance gluten free cookie bars
4 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp coffee
1/2 cup sugar
10 tbsp room temperature butter
3 oz 70% bittersweet chocolate, melted and room temperature
2 tsp gluten free vanilla extract
1 tub gluten free whipped dairy topping

Steps:
In a 3 inch deep, 9" pan, press the cookie bars into an even layer for the crust. Set aside.

In a double boiler over medium heat, beat the eggs, 1/4 c sugar, and coffee for 5 minutes with an electric beater or until soft peaks form. Remove the eggs from double boiler and transfer them to a large mixing bowl to prevent them from cooking further. Set the bowl aside.

In a medium bowl, whip the butter and sugar until the butter has become fluffy. Beat in the chocolate and vanilla until well combined. Beat in the egg mixture with an electric mixer for 5 minutes. Transfer the chocolate pie filling to the pan and spread evenly. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Before serving, top the pie with the whipped topping, and enjoy!

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

0 Gluten Free Vegetarian Pumpkin Soup


It's been quite a while since I've posted! Sorry for disappearing for a bit, between 80 hr work weeks, school, and other life events I got a little overwhelmed and blogging took a sidelines for a bit. But here I am, with an awesome pumpkin soup recipe. This past month Virginia has seen quite a wide range of colds and sicknesses going around, my sister being one of them. A few weeks ago when she was sick, I made her some vegetarian, gluten free pumpkin soup to help cheer her up. Here's the recipe, I hope you like it!

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes

Ingredients
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and diced
1 green apple, diced and peeled
1 can pumpkin puree
3 cups vegetable stock
1 cup half and half
salt and pepper

Steps
In a large pot, saute the butter, oil, onion and garlic until the onion is translucent. Add the celery, carrots, and apple, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes. Add the pumpkin puree and vegetable stock. Cook for another 20 minutes. Add the half and half and salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, then transfer to a blender to make smooth.

Friday, September 20, 2013

0 #WeekdaySupper Gluten Free Hawaiian Rolls for #FamilyDinnerTable


Hey everyone! I'm glad to be participating this week as a part of Weekday Supper with AmFam's Family Dinner Table series (check out this link for more information). This week is all about making dinners when you don't have a lot of time. Oddly enough, that's fitting for me this week, as I'm currently working a seventy hour week (work's busy at the moment). My greatest tip for making a quick meal during the week is to plan ahead. Whether that means making extra servings during meals on the weekend and reheating them during the week, or planning for short 20 minutes recipes during the week. The goal is to make something that's easy to store and reheat as needed.

This week I'm making a gluten free version of a recipe submitted to AmFam, Jackie Christenson's Hawaiian Sweet Rolls. The thing that drew me to the recipe is the use of the pineapple juice. It seemed like such an interesting way of adding some natural sweetness to a dinner roll. I deviated in my recipe by using gluten free flour.

AmFam Back To The Family Dinnertable Logo

American Family Insurance is having a “Share Your Recipe” sweepstakes for 6 weeks with a weekly prize is a $100 Williams-Sonoma gift card plus a grand prize of a $500 Williams-Sonoma gift card. For details visit:https://contests.amfam.com/familydinnertable/, and check out their links below:

This post is sponsored by American Family Insurance.  All opinions are my own.

Also, be sure to check out all the other #WeekdaySupper recipes this week!
Monday - Curious Cuisiniere - Oriental Burritos
Tuesday - Cindy's Recipes and Writings - Cinnamony Sweet Potato Muffins
Wednesday - That Skinny Chick Can Bake - Green Bean and Bacon Bundles
Thursday - girlichef - Crunchy Ramen Salad - 3 Ways

Active Prep Time 20 minutes
Inactive Prep Time 2 hours
Bake Time 15 minutes

Ingredients
1 tsp white sugar 
1/2 C warm water 
1/2 ounce active dry yeast 
3 eggs 
1 C Pineapple juice 
1/2 C Milk 
1/2 to 3/4 C white sugar (depending on your taste for sweetness) 
1/2 tsp ground Ginger 
1 to 2 tsp Vanilla (depending on your taste) 
1/2 C Real unsalted Butter melted 
6 - 8 C gluten free flour 
6 - 8 tsp xantham gum

Steps
 In a small bowl dissovle 1 tsp sugar and yeast in 1/2 C warm water. Let sit until frothy, about 5 to 10 minutes. 

In a very large bowl beat the eggs, add pineapple juice, milk, suger, ginger, vanilla and melted butter stir until just combined. Add the Yeast mixture. Next gradually stir in enough flour to make a soft dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place for at least one hour or until more than double in size. You can push down and let rise a second time, if desired. 

Push down the dough, then turn onto a well floured surface, kneading a bit. Pinch off some dough to form a bun. 

Now, you could freeze the buns on greased cookie sheets, then put in a bag after frozen. To use later place the frozen bun balls in a well greased pan to thaw at room temperature until double in size (about 1 to 11/2 hours) Or, to continue for today's use, place your bun ball in a well greased pan, let rise until double in size (about 40 minutes) 

Bake at 375 for 15 to 20 minutes or until nicely browned. Remove from oven and butter tops.

Sunday, September 15, 2013

20 #SundaySupper Gluten Free Peppered Steak #FamilyDinnerTable


I was the first of three children, so my mom stayed at home for the majority of my childhood until all three of us were a certain age. Once a week after school, she would make peppered steak because it was affordable and an easy way of sneaking in some vegetables. Whenever I see peppered steak I think of my mom and all of the love she provided us through food she prepared.

My mom also had a part time cake business when she stayed at home, and she would allow us to come in and help her with making the cake batters and spreading the first layer of frosting. My mom has inspired me to include my future kids in a similar fashion to get them excited about homemade meals. Kids love to learn through experimentation and hands-on interaction, so letting children help with some of the easier tasks in the kitchen can help bring the family together in the kitchen. Another thing my mom always made a point to do was to turn off all televisions in the house and sit down at the dinner table for a family dinner at least once a week. It’s a great way of having the family come together and to learn about your family’s day-to-day events.

American Family Insurance’s Back to Table Campaign reminds me of all of these wonderful childhood memories surrounding food. I believe that love is an ingredient of food when you’re with family, and I’m glad that the Sunday Supper group has teamed together with AmFam to bring family dinners to a discussion! Check out American Family Insurance’s site for a chance to submit a family oriented recipe that could be featured in their e-cookbook: https://contests.amfam.com/familydinnertable/

AmFam Back To The Family Dinnertable Logo

If you submit your recipe, you can enter in their “Share Your Recipe” sweepstakes for 6 weeks with a weekly prize of a $100 Williams-Sonoma gift card plus a grand prize of a $500 Williams-Sonoma gift card.
Check out AmFam’s social website for more information!

This post is sponsored by American Family Insurance. All opinions are my own.
Check out everyone else’s Sunday Supper recipe below:

Gluten Free Peppered Steak

Serves 4
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook time 20 minutes

Ingredients
1 cup uncooked rice
2 cups rice
1 onion
3 cloves garlic
1 bell pepper
1/3 cup gluten free soy sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp red wine
½ tsp gluten free corn starch
1 ½ lb thinly sliced steak, preferably top round

Steps
Rinse the rice under cold water. Place the 2 cups rice in a small pot over high heat. Once boiling, add the rice, cover the pot, and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes.

While the rice cooks, chop the onion and mince the garlic. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a pan and cook the onion and garlic over medium heat until the onions become translucent. Add the red wine, soy sauce, and sugar to the pan. Stir to combine. Slice the bell pepper and steak into strips. Stir the corn starch into the sauce, and add the pepper and steak to the pan. Stir occasionally until the steak is tender and cooked through, about 10 minutes.

Remove the steak and sauce from the pan and serve with the rice.

Monday, August 26, 2013

2 Gluten Free Cinnamon Streusel Muffin Mix - #MakeThatGlutenFree


Hey everyone, earlier this month I asked people to share what popular food item they'd like to see converted gluten free via using the hashtag #MakeThatGlutenFree.

This month I was talking with Stacy Rushton and we came up with the idea for a gluten free muffin mix. I really love the idea because I enjoy making my own flour blends, but it can be time consuming to measure 3-5 different ingredients to substitute for wheat flour. This is a great way of spending a little bit of time to mix dry ingredients and store them for later use. This recipe is also a really great gift for anyone who is gluten free.

Once the mix is made, I like to store it in glass jars and use them within 1-2 months. This recipe for the mix allows for 3 dozen muffins.

One tip whenever you're transferring dry ingredients from a large container to a smaller one (i.e. bowl to mason jar), use a folded piece of printer paper as a guard to prevent missing the smaller container.

Muffin Mix RecipePrep Time: 15-20 minutes
Makes: Approximately 3 cups of mix

Muffin Dry Ingredients
1 1/2 cup sweet rice flour
3/4 cup almond flour
3/4 cup tapioca flour
1 1/2 tsp xantham gum
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp all spice
3 tsp baking powder


Topping Dry Ingredients
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup almond flour
1/4 cup and 2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

Steps
In a medium bowl, mix the muffin dry ingredients until it looks like a homogeneous blend. Transfer the mix to a mason jar and seal. In a small bowl, blend the topping dry ingredients and place in a small jar.

Muffin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes
Bake Time 18 minutes
Serves 6 muffins

Ingredients
1 1/4 cup and 1 tbsp muffix mix (see above)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
3 tbsp melted butter room temperature

1/4 cup and 3 tbsp topping mix (see above)
1 1/2 tbsp soft butter, cubed

Steps
Preheat an oven to 350F and line a muffin tin with baking cups. In a medium bowl, mix the muffin mix, milk, vanilla, and egg together. Once well combined, add the butter and stir until a batter has formed, some lumps are acceptable. Distribute the muffin batter into the tins.

In a food processor pulse the topping mix and butter together until a crumble forms. Crumble on top of the muffin batter, and place in the oven. Bake for 18 minutes or until slightly browned on top.

Sunday, August 25, 2013

18 Gluten Free Focaccia de Recco - Global Street Food #SundaySupper


Hey everyone! This week we're doing a theme set on global street food! I wanted to take an Italian recipe called Focaccia de Recco and make it gluten free. For those who don't know, focaccia is a type of thin bread traditionally found in Italy. The variation on this one is that it is filled with soft cow's milk cheese. Traditionally a Stracchino cheese is used, but I find that any soft cow's milk cheese will work in the recipe.

Check out all of the recipes this week from around the world! And be sure to join us Sunday at 7pm EST for the twitter chat! Just search #SundaySupper to join!


Bread on the Boulevard
Hand-Held Savory Eats
To-Go Containers
Sweets on the Streets
Grab a Thermos 

Gluten Free Focaccia de Recco

Prep Time 15 minutes
Bake Time 12 minutes

Ingredients
3/4 cup sweet rice flour
1/4 cup tapoica starch
1/2 cup almond flour
1/4 tsp xantham gum
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup and 3 tbsp water
1/2 lb soft cow's milk cheese

Steps

Preheat the oven to 550F. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil and oil it.

In a bowl, mix the flours, gum and oil together until well combined. Add in the water and stir until a dough forms and you can shape it into a ball. Separate the ball in half, and roll each half within 1/8 inch thickness between two sheets of parchment paper. Transfer the sheet to the baking pan. 

Cube the cheese, and place on top of the dough sheet.

Roll out the other half of the dough, making it slightly larger than the previous. Lay it over top the cheese, and press on the edges to seal them. Drizzle more olive oil over top, and bake in the oven for 12 minutes. Cut and serve warm.

Friday, August 23, 2013

0 Gluten Free Product Review - GimMe Seaweed Snacks

Hi everyone,

I got the opportunity to try out GimMe Seaweed Snacks and wanted to share them with all of you. They're produced by a Californian couple of Annie Chun and Steve Broad. GimMe snacks are healthy, certified organic and non-GMO verified, certified gluten free. Certainly a mouth full.

There's a variety of flavors, cheddar cheese, honey dijon and sesame.They're all low calorie snacks that I tried along and crumbled on salads.

If you're a fan of sushi, you'll definitely be a fan of these snacks. They have the taste you'd expect from seaweed, but are wonderfully hosted, lightly salty, and really deliver the promise of the flavor they're packaged as. If you're a fan of sushi, I definitely recommend you check out their product at www.gimmehealth.com

Sunday, August 18, 2013

18 Almond Citrus Salad - #SundaySupper #Lunchbox



Happy Sunday everyone, I hope you've had a great weekend so far. Sadly though, Sunday brings the beginning of the work/school week, and the day-to-day routine associated with it. One thing I love and appreciate about not eating gluten is my Sunday is filled with a couple hours of getting meals ready for the week. I work roughly 40 hours a week and also learn in a part-time graduate program during the week, so any meals I can have ready for the week make my life tons easier. This is why I was excited to see this week's Sunday Supper theme is lunchbox meals.

This week I'm sharing one of my favorite salads, a vegetarian almond citrus salad. The only component that needs to be made is the dressing, so it's great to prepare a day or two ahead of time. I normally make the dressing on Sunday, and store it in a small jar in the refrigerator. I hope you enjoy this and all the recipes this weekend! Thank you to Liz for hosting!


Sandwiches, Wraps and Entrees:
Munchies, Salads and Sides:
Sweet Treats:

And remember that we have a #SundaySupper chat at 7 PM each on Sunday evening. We tweet throughout the day using the hashtag #SundaySupper, then we all gather to share ideas, recipes and answer questions from 7-8 PM ET. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest Board for more fabulous recipes and food photos.

Almond Citrus Salad

Prep Time 10 minutes
Inactive Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Servings 5-6

Ingredients
2 romaine lettuce hearts
1 bag of shredded carrots
3 oz sliced almonds
3 oz dried cranberries
zest of one lemon
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves of minced garlic
juice of 2 lemons
1/4 cup low fat buttermilk
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Steps
Chop the lettuce into bite size pieces. In a medium bowl, toss the lettuce, carrots, almonds, cranberries, and zest together. Set aside.

Heat a sautee pan over medium heat, and add 1 tbsp olive oil. Once the pan is hot, add the garlic, and sautee the garlic until it becomes soft, about 5 minutes. Transfer the garlic to a small bowl, and refrigerate it for 5 minutes.

Once the garlic has cooled, whisk the juice, garlic, butttermilk, 1 tbsp oil, salt, and pepper together. Toss the dressing with the salad and serve!

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

0 Gluten Free Pretzel Crusted Chicken


Here's a delicious yet simple recipe for pretzel crusted chicken. I made it with Glutino gluten free pretzels, and it turned out great! The trick to getting crispy chicken on the top and bottom is to use a wire rack with the baking pan to allow the top and bottom to get crispy at the same time. I like to serve with with some slightly caramelized vegetables because it's a great color contrast and goes great with the chicken. I also like to use thinly sliced chicken to speed up the cooking time.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Bake Time: 18 minutes

Ingredients

3/4 lb thinly sliced chicken
1/2 cup dijon mustard
1/4 cup honey mustard
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup gluten free pretzels
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
half a head of broccoli
half a head of cauliflower
2 tbsp oil
1 tbsp butter
salt and pepper

Steps
Preheat the oven to 350F. Place a wire rack over top the baking sheet. In a shallow bowl, mix the mustards and oil together. Dip the chicken in the mustard blend, and set the chicken aside. Crush the pretzels in a food processor, and then combine with the powders, salt, and pepper. Dip both sides of the chicken into the pretzels, and plce on the wire rack. Bake for 18 minutes.

While the chicken is baking, rinse the broccoli and the cauliflower. Cut off the crowns, and split each crown in half. In a sautee pan, add the oil and butter and heat over medium heat. Add the veggies to the pan, and add a dash of salt and pepper. Cook for about 5-6 minutes, or until the veggies are slightly brown and tender.

Sunday, August 11, 2013

0 #MakeThatGlutenFree Challenge

Hey everyone! I'd like to announce a new experiment based on challenges I've taken on from friends over the past few years. I entered a challenge with my roommate recently to make gluten free cheese crackers like the kind you can buy pre-made from the store, and that resulted in this post.

I'd like to extend that out to the community, by asking you guys to challenge me to #MakeThatGlutenFree. I'll pick one to do each month, and I'll share it on the blog. I'll also gift something each month to the person who suggests what recipe I experiment with. This month I'll gift a 5lb bag of Jules Gluten Free Flour.

All you gotta do is share your recipe recommendation with the #MakeThatGlutenFree on Twitter, Facebook, or Google+. I'll pick one for the month of August and announce the recipe I'm adapting this Friday!

Saturday, August 10, 2013

0 Food Tip of the Week: How to Fry a Sunny Side Up Egg


Happy Saturday everyone! I hope that the picture above is making you as hungry for breakfast by just looking at is as it is for me. This week I wanted to share a few simple tips to help you make the perfect sunny side up egg.



Here's a few quick tips from the video:
  1. Put the pan on low heat.
  2. Oil or butter the pan to prevent sticking
  3. Break the egg into a saucer, and use the saucer to transfer the egg to the pan
  4. Cover the pan with a lid to evenly cook the egg.
  5. The egg is done once the white is no longer translucent.

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

0 Orange Mead Cocktail


I can't believe how fast summer is flying by! Before you know it, it will be Labor and time to say goodbye to summer. Here's a simple mixed drink that's based on mead (i.e. drink of the gods) that's not too sweet, and delicious to sip on a warm summer day.

For 1 Drink:
6 shots of mead (also known as honeywine)
2 shots of Triple Sec or other orange liqueur
2 shots of sweet and sour mix
handful of ice
half a slice of orange

Shake the mead, Triple Sec, mix, and ice. Pour into a wine glass and garnish with the orange slice.

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

0 Gluten Free Cheese Crackers with Mead

One of the easiest ways to control gluten intake through food is to make your own. Over the past year my friends and I have learned how to make gluten free beers and wines at home, and I've loved the experience. Despite missteps here and there, there's some satisfying about being able to craft something and share it with friends. This past month my roommate and I bottled a mead we were brewing. Mead is a type of wine made by fermenting honey. We added raspberries and oranges during the fermentation which is where the color comes from.

I figured that gluten free cheese crackers would be an amazing compliment to the mead, and a fun, contemporary take on wine and cheese. The key is to use a sharp cheese that you'd love to eat straight from the block. I like to add some seasonings to the cheese and flour to create a delicious and bold cracker. I use a pastry cutter to create the shapes, but you can use a knife to cut them if you don't have one. These crackers also don't expand, so you can place them fairly close together on the pan while baking them.

Prep Time 20 minutes
Bake Time 20 minutes

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
1/4 cup butter room temperature
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp paprika
1/2 cup gluten free flour blend
1/4 tsp xantham gum
2 tbsp cornstarch
3 tbsp water

Steps
Preheat an oven to 375F.

In a medium bowl, blend the cheese and the butter together. In a small bowl, mix the salt, pepper, powder, paprika, flour, gum, and starch together. Mix the dry ingredients into the cheese until fairly well combined. Add the water, and continue to stir until a dough forms.

Lay a sheet of parchment paper over top a cutting board, and roll out the dough to about 1/16-1/8th an inch thick. Cut the dough into 1x1 inch squares, and poke holes in the centers with a toothpick. Transfer the dough to an ungreased baking sheet, and bake for 20 minutes or until the edges begin to brown.

Monday, August 5, 2013

4 Crispy Skin Chicken with Rice Medley - #WeekdaySupper


I always love seeing the Weekday Supper recipes that people share from month to month. I sometimes find it difficult to find time to make dinner during a busy week, so I love seeing all the simple and delicious recipes. Today I'm sharing a simple recipe for crispy skin chicken with rice and vegetables.
Check out all of our Weekday Supper recipes this week:
Tuesday - Sue's Nutrition Buzz - Spiced Up Turkey Shepherd's Pie With A Cauliflower Crust
Wednesday - Shockingly Delicious - Pasta with Black Olive and Sun-Dried Tomato Tapenade
Thursday - Happy Baking Days - Baked Tomatoes with Mozzarella and Basil
Friday - girlichef - Chicken Parm Sammies



Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes

Ingredients
2 chicken breasts with skin and bones
1 tbsp butter, melted
salt and pepper
1 cup brown rice
2 1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1/2 cup mixed frozen vegetables

Steps
Preheat an oven to 350F. Line a pan with aluminum foil. Butter the tops of the chicken breasts and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the internal temperature is 160F. Turn the oven to broil and broil for 2-3 minutes.

While the chicken cooks, rinse the rice in cold water. Add the rice to a medium saucepan with the stock and oil. Bring it to a boil, and then cover and reduce the heat to medium. Cook the rice for 35 minutes. Place the vegetables in a microwave safe bowl with 2 tbsp water and cook for 3 minutes. Add the butter and vegetables to the rice and enjoy!