Lets Get Caught Up (part 2)

So as I mentioned in part one its been a crazy, crazy week leaving me with very little time or energy to cook, and Keith not around, so last night my parents offered to make me dinner for when I stopped by. This was their first time making me a gluten free meal and I greatly appreciated the effort even though I felt like a pain in the a** for it. To say gluten had been used in my house growing up would be an understatement. My mom bakes and cooks everything from scratch. Flour was once bought in bulk there. My children one day got into a bag of it years ago and I found my son rolling around in it giggling "I'm playing in the sand". His sister had convinced him they were at a beach. Do you know what a mess it is to clean up flour? I do!! I even got electrocuted by the vacuum while trying to clean it up. I should have taken it as a sign then...
Back to my parents meal. We kept it simple with steak, red bliss potatoes and asparagus. None of them seasoned with anything more them olive oil, salt and pepper. My dad got me a beautiful piece of Filet Mignon (yes, I'm spoiled) and cooked it to perfection. My mom's potatoes came out perfect.
Thanks Parents!!!

Lets Get Caught Up (part 1)

This week has been a crazy busy week! Things were nuts at my job as well as Keith working his normal crazy schedule. The combo of the two left for very little room for interesting meals and more of throwing together some pasta and sauce and calling it a day. My left overs for lunch this week actually consisted of Udi's gluten free dinner rolls. I know how bad that sounds, just expressing how crazy it has actually been. Tuesday night however, we pulled off a quick throw together meal that is worth mentioning: Burrito Bowls.

Since I am still playing around with rice and didn't have time to mess around I just used the old faithful yellow rice which again takes the longest to cook out of everything. I wanted steak so we decided to turn the Fajita seasoning mix into a marinade by using Extra Virgin Olive Oil instead of water (Keith was still obsessing over this marinade 2 days later) and threw them on the grill. While those were on the grill and the rice was cooking I cut up an avocado and tomatoes and heated up some refried beans. Yes, I know those are not on the friendly list but I wanted them so bad and did pay the price for them. ANYWAYS... We then just layered them in a bowl all pretty, added some sour cream, took a picture and then mixed them all together. Something so simple but so perfect at the time...

A Priceless Moment

Last nights meal is something I can only describe as a priceless moment because we are talking about my favorite meal, Chicken Piccata. Although it is a pretty simple concept, there is a lot of gluten involved in the recipe I used to make. To say I was nervous to ruin my #1 meal in life was an understatement but I went for it. The moment I got to not only eat it but actually enjoy it knowing no pain or ill feeling was coming after was the moment I realized, we really do have this. Keith even said he enjoyed this recipe even more then the previous.

Start off with 4 chicken breast. Keith trimmed all the fat off as that is his thing, while I got the Ronzoni Gluten Free Penne going. I then pounded the trimmed breasts into cutlets. For breading I used my favorite Gluten Free Bisquick and followed the ingredients for their chicken tenders (bisquick, garlic salt, parmesan and paprika). After mixing up two eggs I began the wash and breading process while having 1 tablespoon of butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil going in a large skillet. Once ready, I added the chicken breasts, flipping after a few minutes or when I felt they were the right golden color. When both sides were done I removed them from the skillet and added 1 tablespoon of butter, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of capers (apply pressure with the flat part of a knife like garlic first) , 3/4 cup chicken stock and fresh lemon juice from 2 lemons. Give that a minute or two to get the flavors going and add the chicken flipping each side in the sauce to get that flavor into the breading and use that time to drain your pasta. Once my pasta was drained I added a little margarine however olive oil would have worked the same. And that's it, all that's left is to plate it and enjoy!

Weekend Update

Happy Monday everyone! This weekend we decided to switch it up a bit half way through.
It started with Friday night cookies with the kids as usual. I swear they are addicted to the Immaculate Baking Co. Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies. It is all they have been talking about but by Saturday morning my daughter was up for a challenge and learning how to do something new by herself. As she has gotten older I have been a little more open to her using the stove after a VERY long lecture of the safety needed to do so. She decided it was time for her to make her own scrambled eggs. I tend to make fancy ones (that I will cover in a post soon) but we started simple for her. Basic eggs, milk and pepper. She was very proud of herself! Then lunch time came quickly. They had decided on sandwiches. The kids and Keith had theirs on regular bulky rolls, however I made mine on the Udi's roll that Uno's was nice enough to give me to try. That roll blew my mind. Everyone had to have a bite to try and they too were amazed.
After lunch it was time for the kids to go to the their fathers for the rest of the weekend so Keith and I planned a date night out. Not something we do very often. After a lot of research I found a restaurant called Davenports in Cumberland, Rhode Island. They have an amazing Gluten Free menu. Instead of 3 or 4 options I have found at other places they had a two sided laminated menu, you just have to ask for it. The wait staff was great, the atmosphere was cozy and family friendly. Definitely need a reservation to this place as the line was out the door when we arrived. I had a 12oz steak with butter and garlic shrimp, mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli. It was so good. I ate the whole thing (however truth be told, I became hungry again a few hours and made a frozen Udi's pizza)! They offered a gluten free desert but I couldn't bring myself to try it yet.
On Sunday we had nothing to do but lounge in sweatpants and relax. We decided it was a good time to make things that self cook themselves. I knew I was going to make bread at some point so what a better time then a lazy cold day. I used the Bob's Red Mill mix for white bread and threw it in the bread maker. I was warned it was going to be dry and crumbly however mine was not. I followed all the directions on the package except that I added two eggs and one egg white which may have made the difference.
To go with the bread we decided on an old favorite of mine, Potato Soup. It's always been something Keith has made and had perfected it. Definitely not a meal I was willing to give up on yet so we looked up a few gluten free recipes and after a few alterations it did not come out half bad. Not as great as Keith's but if we continue to play with it we may be able to get it there. After dicing up 5lbs of potatoes, 1 cup of celery and 1 yellow onion, we threw them into the crock pot and added 5 cups of gluten free chicken stock. We let that go for 4 hours on high. After those 4 hours the potatoes were not quite where we wanted them so we transferred them to a pot on the stove and continued to cook them there. Once they had reached the tenderness we had wanted we added 2 blocks of cream cheese and 2 cups of milk, then cooked until it reached a desired consistency. Once we had scooped them into our bowls we added shredded cheese and bacon pieces. As delicious as that sounds it was still missing something so I added some sour cream as I had done that with Keith's in the past. That one little ingredient took the soup to the next better level. Definitely worthy of a cold day meal.
For my drink experiment I tried Glutenberg American Pale Ale which is more then worthy of a shut out. It is so far the closest gluten free beer I have had to my liking. If you can locate them, they are worth every penny.

 

While Watching the Taste...

It was yet again a night Keith was working late so I tuned into one of my favorite cooking shows "The Taste". It's not really the show I like so much but Anthony Bourdain and his chemistry with Ludo (and never really being able to understand a word out of this mouth). This week it was Street Food so I got thinking of something I could make as a street food version. One team had to use Spam which we honestly love in our house however it is not only completely unhealthy but I haven't even began to see if it's gluten free. Instead I made Pizza Rolls stuffed with Plum Tomatoes and Fresh Mozzarella. I used Bob's Red Mill Pizza Dough which was an experience. It didn't quite mix together how a "normal" dough had before. It also was a completely different consistency then what I was used to however I kept at it. I broke off pieces of the dough to flatten out. It felt like loose sticky play dough. I continued to stuff each one with chunks of cheese and tomatoes. I then placed them rolled as best as possible in a cupcake pan. I followed the directions on the bag for a pizza. I pulled them out when it said to. I then glazed them with 2Tbs melted butter and sprinkled them with a garlic, parmesan, oregano, parsley mix and then threw them back in the oven for the remaining time. To me they still looked different. At one point I even told Keith they most likely aren't good and to make something else (I may or may not have thrown the tray on the stove as I said this) but after they cooled down he decided to try one and then convinced me to. They actually came out really good!!! If I can find a way to work with the dough a little more I would love the fill them more however for now I will take it as a win and to have a little bit more faith.

Snow Day, Stuffed Chicken and Beer

With a snow day ahead of me, and Keith heading to work for a late shift, I decided I was going to make the most of it and whip up one heck of a yummy dinner. Mission accomplished!
I had been wanting a stuffed chicken for some time and this was honestly the first stuffed chicken breast I have ever made. I watched a video showing me how to cut the pocket which I followed exactly. The problem I ran into was that the bottom of a chicken breast is never full like the top. Next time I do this I may butterfly the bottom and stuff from there to be able to keep the appearance of the finished product. I also cheated and did not make my own gravy. I know this is horrible and something very frowned upon but it was just easier that way and sometimes you just have to cut some corners (it was still gluten free). My only complaint (other then that Keith did not like a season used in the gravy) is that you have to watch the time. I'm used to being able to reheat my gravy when time comes but it was most definitely not the case as it turned into a paste. I broke it down with a bit of water but something to be avoided if possible. All in all, the chicken was delicious, mashed potatoes are always great and who doesn't like some corn every once in a while.
The bigger attempt at trying something was the beer. Keith and I shared a love of IPA's and basic beer making in general. Ok, lets be honest, the beer making is more his thing then mine, but I always enjoyed drinking it. Sadly that had to go away too but a small price to pay to not be in pain from having it. Any who, Keith had mentioned giving a gluten free beer a try so after I went to the grocery store I did just that. I picked up a 4 pack of Ipswich Ale Brewery Saison. This beer was created after either the owner or brew masters wife was diagnosed with celiac. It is a gluten free version of a blue moon. It wasn't horrible and I actually finished the bottle but it just felt like something was missing. It's definitely something I can live with if I really feel the need to have a beer. I had Keith try it as well and he agree that although he didn't find it horrible it was missing something. None the less worthy of a try. 

4 Skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 thin prosciutto slices, halved
4 slices provolone cheese
2.5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
* After trimming the chicken and forming the pockets, stuff each breast with prosciutto and provolone cheese. Pre-heat oven to 350. In a large size pan add 1.5 tablespoons of the olive oil and heat. Season the breasts with pepper. Once ready add the breasts top down first for 5 minutes or until golden, then flip and repeat fort he bottom side. Spray baking dish with the remaining olive oil and place the breast. Put in oven until fully cooked through. Timing may vary based on ovens.

A Pinterest First!

While at work yesterday I started planning what would be a delicious meal for the snow storm that was coming. Then it hit me, the one meal I really wanted, the one meal that would be my first true label reading meal, Lazy Man Lasagna. I went to my trusty Pinterest to see if there were any suggested gluten free recipes for this but there were none... zero! So I took that as a challenge that I accepted.

This is a meal my Mom makes a lot so I asked her to send me her recipe and since I was already going to be stuck in traffic, I had no problem taking the time to stop at the stores needed. First stop was Ocean State Job Lot which carries the Sam Mills Gluten Free Lasagna Pieces. This was a brand highly recommended to me by a friend whose child has celiac. Next stop was Market Basket which for the first time in my life was a ghost town so I took my sweet time navigating all the gluten free options in the store so that next time when I'm rushing I know exactly what I'm getting. The first ingredient I went for was the Ricotta Cheese. Since I always keep my phone in my hand when shopping for quick Google access, I realized most of the their brands were not gluten free. Thankfully in the fancy cheese section I found Antonio Whole Milk Ricotta. It obviously cost a bit more but I appreciated only having 3 ingredients (that I can all read) on the label. For Shredded Mozzarella I was pleased to find that the Market Basket brand was perfectly safe. For sauce I picked up Classico, then Old Neighborhood Italian Sausage and 93% lean ground beef. The rest of the ingredients I already had at home so after some fun in the snow in the parking lot I headed home to put together my delicious meal. 

My finished product that Keith calls a "winner"

The recipe (substitutes are in the beginning narrative)

Monday Night Fajitas

This was a complete trial and error meal. Let's call it more of a learning experience.  It started off as a craving that then turned to crazy internet search for a fajita seasoning that was gluten free. Yes, we know how easy it would be to make our own but it was a long day at work and I decided to cheat. Thankfully McCormicks makes a gluten free mix that the company even confirms is gluten free. Then the search continued for Keith to find the Udi's wraps. There is not a day that passes that I am not thankful he loves me. He even cut up the onion and peppers too. I made the side of yellow rice. Basically, following the instructions on the seasoning packet, and the Udi's packet and tada you have the meal, although once I added sour cream it turned more into a quesadilla. Either way, still delicious. 

Chicken, cookies and more..

Happy Monday morning everyone! I hope you all had a lovely weekend as I know we did. It was busy busy busy. We had family gatherings both Saturday and Sunday and navigating the food options was an experience.

We started off Friday night with "fried chicken". I enjoy breading things and making up new tastes every time, but this time I stuck to the box instructions. I used Busquicks Gluten Free Mix and boy was it delicious. I need to work on the cooking method a little bit more but the recipe on the box (I'll post it later) was spot on for taste. We then paired the chicken with Parmesan Risotto and steamed Broccoli. Such an easy great meal! To finish it off, the kids and I made a batch of Immaculate Baking Company Cookies which were out of this world.

Saturday (and Sunday) morning started off with my daughter making pancakes using the same mix. I have explained to the children that although Mommy has to eat this way does not mean that they do, but they were all for trying it and were licking the plates. In the afternoon we headed over to Keith's parents house and for lunch they were having sandwiches. I was soooo happy I packed extra Udi's dinner rolls in my bag as I made two small sandwiches out of them. For dinner his mom made a turkey which I learned the hard way I should have avoided but I figure I have until November to worry about that again. On Sunday was the big family gathering. I knew going into it that I should probably bring something of my own, so into the bag went the left over chicken from Friday, dinner rolls and the bag of cookies. Thank goodness I did. Keith was wonderful and asked everyone what was in things and read labels for me, then offered to run to the store to get me something but I was already prepared. I did get a little hungry when we got home so I whipped up some of my favorite pasta to have and then bring to work for lunch today. Tonight is date night and I can't wait to share it with you tomorrow! 

(Don't mind the kitchen. It's a rental in need of a makeover)

Comfort Food

The last few days have been pretty stressful and times like these call for comfort foods. My main comfort food is pasta. I love pasta! I'd eat pasta all day long if I could so you can understand how devastating the thought of pasta that wasn't "real" pasta was. I obviously did some research on which ones to try. So far I have tried two. I tried the Ronzoni Gluten Free Penne first with Classico Alfredo Sauce. It was soooooo good! I could not believe how much I couldn't tell the difference. Keith however did not try this as he had real raviolis (slightly jealous). Since yesterday was the harder of the two days and Keith was working late, it was a simple quick meal. I made an easy fancy Mac and cheese with broccoli and bacon bits. For this meal I tried the Barilla Elbows with the same Classico Alfredo and McCorminck Bac'n Pieces. It wasn't bad, however the Ronzoni pasta the night before was way better. The Udi's dinner roll I made it go with it was so good I'd recommend them to anyone and then for desert I had a Chocolate Dipper made by Pure Baked Goods. If you had blind folded me and gave it to me, I not only wouldn't know it was gluten free but I'd most likely pick it over a real brownie. The best part of these meals? Actually feeling full for the first time and not having pain. 

Ronzoni Gluten Free Penne

Barilla Gluten Free Elbows and Udi's Dinner Roll

The amazing Chocolate Dippers

Cook together date night

Last night was cook together date night which in all actuality was just Keith cooks and Kiley makes margaritas night. It was also our first gluten free cooking date night so to make it special it was one of my favorite meals (Cilantro Lime Chicken with Avocado Salsa) made glutten free. Everything was fresh and from scratch except for the rice. For that we used Zatarains yellow rice. After doing some research I learned that not all flavored rice's are gluten free so I was thrilled to find this one that was. (Recipe below)

A light version

A loaded version

Chicken:

2 Tablespoons minced Cilantro

2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice (bottled is fine)

1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil

4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Salt

Combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well and add the chicken. Toss and let stand about 5 minutes. Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the remaining marinade. When time comes you will grill the chicken 6-8 minutes each side. Keep in mind that the rice takes 25+ minutes.

Salsa:

1 Cup chopped ripe tomatoes (2-3 tomatoes)

2 Tablespoons finely chopped onion

1/4 Teaspoon salt

1/8 Teaspoon black pepper

1 avocado peeled and diced

Combine all ingredients except the avocado in a medium bowl. Right before serving add the avacado and stir to combine. 

Looks like we have a winner

If you read the earlier posts you would have noticed I broke away from any form of diet plan and went back to things I loved but also cheating by not making it all fresh like I normally do. As bad as it was to do that I am also glad that I did because the stomach pain came back and then I truly got to examine the cause of the pain. All the ingredients had gluten in them. Now I'm not saying it's an allergy or celiacs but it is definitely a sensitivity and something I will explore with my doctor when I have time to get there. At this point, with Keith's support, I have ventured into the world of Gluten Free. At first it's such an information overload that my diet started consisting of chicken, rice chex and these deliciously addictive corn chips. However I can't live off that. 

Last night we decided to order out. Keith really wanted to try this new pizza place but they didn't have a gluten free friendly menu so we opted for UNOs instead. I had their Baked Stuffed Spinoccoli with Red bliss mashed and roasted vegetables. It was delicious but that was to be expected as it's something I would have eaten before. When I was ordering it we got into a conversation with the bartender asking about their burger rolls as I love burgers so she threw one in for me to try at home. I also ordered a vegetable pizza to have today for lunch. Keith tried it out before I could get a pretty picture of it but I just ate it and it was surprisingly good. Completely erased the fear of it tasting like cardboard. Most of all I'm enjoying still being able to eat something I loved dearly without my night/day ending in pain. Thank you UNOs!!

Also don't mind the paper towel, improvising at work :)

Iron

As I mentioned in the post before, the never ending stomach bug has hit me pretty hard. Right now it's about trying to supplement what my body needs while fulfilling what I'll actually eat. This meal was all about iron as I could feel mine was low. We made these beautiful grass fed steak pieces only seasoned with a little bit of salt and pepper. Keith grilled them to perfection! He really wanted a bernaise sauce so we made sure he had that as well as steamed broccoli with cheese and garlic and herb mashed potatoes. Keith cleared his plate very quickly, I however could barely touch the broccoli with cheese. I know this wasn't the healthiest meal but for the most part it did the trick. 

Last and First

I know this is coming in a little late but the New Year has not exactly started the way I would have liked. It seems as though the never ending stomach bug has hit our house, well mainly just me. But I wanted to catch up with the two meals before it came and give the disclaimer that a bunch of cheat meals will be following. 

First we'll start with the last. New Years Eve the kids were with their Dad so Keith and I decided to enjoy ourselves and try to stay up until midnight for the first time. It took 3 years to get it done but we did. For dinner that night we had baked potatoes and steak tips that had been marinating in a terryaki marinade. We tried a new brand this time and it would be the first and last. It was wayyy too salty. I also prepared some mushrooms as well to add on top. For vegi's I cheated and bought a frozen mixed steam bag. Other then the salt, it wasn't a bad meal.

Now for the first, breakfast. Keith had to work New Year's Day so I made myself a few eggs, sautéed some mushrooms and added some avacado. It was delicious.