Pizza Recommendation

Pier 49 Pizza

I wanted to share this because I love good pizza!  Since I have begun eating gluten free, it has been difficult to find a gluten free pizza.  Especially one that is any good.  I am still working on my own gluten free crust recipe.  Maybe I will have one that I totally love soon.  However, no matter how good homemade pizza is, it is still nice to be able to go somewhere to pick up a pizza (or eat in.)  I was pleasantly surprised last weekend when we went out to eat at Pier 49 pizza.  I had discovered that they had a gluten free pizza available.  I was cautions since I had tried other gluten free pizzas that were less than desirable.  However, my craving for pizza overrode caution and drove me to Pier 49 pizza.  (Or maybe it was because it was so foggy Friday night that I didn't want to drive all over the place looking for other restaurants.  This one was close.)  I ordered a gluten free combination pizza.  Wow!  It was so good!  Maybe it was just because I haven't had a good pizza for so long.  Or maybe it was just due to all the flavorful toppings.  But, it was really good.  One thing that really appeals to me is that they have many different varieties of toppings available for their gluten free crusts.  So many restaurants have a limited amount of gluten free choices.  Although I have just tried the one pizza for now, I am anxiously awaiting the day when my tastebuds tell me that they need a pizza again.

Orange Chicken

Orange Chicken

I converted this recipe I was given by my neighbor to make it gluten free.  (Not that it takes much conversion to change soy sauce to tamari sauce:)

1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup sesame seeds
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves cut in bite sized pieces
1 bunch chopped green onions

In a saucepan, combine 2 cups orange juice, 1/2 cup tamari sauce (GF soy sauce), 4 Tablespoons sugar.  Bring it to a boil.  Turn down the heat and let it cook down while you prepare the chicken.

Combine cornstarch, sesame seeds, eggs, salt, and pepper.  Add chicken and combine thoroughly to coat the chicken.

In a wok or non-stick skillet, heat about 1/4 cup olive oil over medium heat.  Fry the chicken in the hot oil.  You may have to fry the chicken in a couple of batches in order to avoid overcrowding the pan.

When chicken is cooked thoroughly, add 1 bunch of chopped green onions.  Serve over rice.

Sausage and Noodle Soup

Sausage & Noodle Soup

Modified gluten free and dairy free 

Source: Party In My Kitchen

1 package hot italian turkey sausage (I used Jennie-O)

1 package italian chicken sausage (I used Targets brand)

3 cups GF Noodles

2 cups water

2 cups Unsweetened Almond Milk

6 chicken boullion cubes or 4 teaspoons concentrated chicken stock

1 tbsp. italian seasoning

1 tbsp. parsley

1 tbsp. chives (optional)

1/2 tsp seasoning salt 

1/2 tsp coarse pepper 

parmesan cheese (for those that can have dairy sprinkle soup before eating)

1-Put all ingredients except GF noodles in crockpot.  Take any casing off meat before putting in crockpot.   Cook on high for 6 hours.  Mash meat every hour to break meat up smaller.

2-Before serving soup cook noodles on stove according to manufacturers directions.  Drain and add cooked noodles to soup. 

Enjoy!

KJ's Healthy Whole Grain Bread

KJ's Healthy Whole Grain Bread

Ingredients:

Dry Ingredients: 

2  cups brown rice flour, preferably super-fine 

1  cup gluten-free oat flour 


(If you cant eat oatmeal flour replace oatmeal with teff flour or sweet rice flour)

1 cup teff flour

1/2 cup amaranth flour

2 cup potato starch


1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon xanthan gum 


1 tablespoon salt 

1 Tablespoon (Vegan Natural flavor protein powder, like natureaid), optional but makes the bread lighter and softer
2 Vitamin C pills (crushed up into powder) Not Joking!

Yeast Mixture:
3 cups original almond milk, warmed to 110 to 120 degrees
(microwave for about 2 ½ minutes in my microwave)
1/2 cup honey 

1 tablespoon molasses 

6  teaspoons active dry yeast

Wet Ingredients:

5  eggs, room temperature


½  cup Earth Balance 
butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup applesauce

Step 1: Prepare two 9-inch glass bread pans by greasing well with spray oil. Set aside.

Step 2:In separate bowl mix brown rice flour, oat flour, sweet rice flour, potato starch, xanthan gum and salt whisk together just until mixed. Set aside.

Step 3: Heat milk to 110 to 120 degrees.  Add honey, molasses and dry yeast to hot milk an stir just until combined.  Set aside to let yeast activate.

Step 4: In mixer, add eggs and whip real well.  Add butter, whip well.  Add lemon, vinegar and applesauce and whip well again. 

Step 5: Add the yeast mixture to wet egg mixture already in mixer.  Add half the flour and mix just until combined.  Add the rest of flour and mix all ingredients together until combined. Then mix for about 2 minutes on medium-high speed. Batter will resemble a very thick cake batter.

Step 6: Spoon batter into prepared pans. Brush each loaf with egg white to smooth out the top of bread loaf. This recipe makes two 9-inch loaves.  Let dough rise in a warm place for approximately 40 minutes or until nearly doubled in size. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake Bread for 40 minutes. Makes 2 loaves.

Step 7: Cool bread in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool on a rack. Wrap tight in large plastic bags to keep moist.

Just like Grandma's Chili (Easy)

Just like Grandma’s Chili

Gluten Fee, Dairy Free

Ingredients:

1 pound ground turkey or ground beef

1 ½ cup chopped green onion

1 (15 oz) can Hunts sauce for chili

1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce

1 (15 oz) can kidney beans

1 (15 oz) can black beans

1 teaspoon coarse black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic Salt

Let’s get started:

1-Saute ground turkey until meat is browned.

1 pound ground turkey or ground beef

2-In blender, blend the following until smooth and pour over cooked meat.

1 ½ cup chopped green onion

1 (15 oz) can Hunts sauce for chili

1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce

3-Now pour all of the following ingredients over top of meat mixture and simmer on medium heat for about 15 minutes to 20 minutes.

1 (15 oz) can kidney beans

1 (15 oz) can black beans

1 teaspoon coarse black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic Salt

Serve over baked potatoes. Yum!

POM Berry Smoothie

Did I mention I love my Blendtec blender!

POM Berry Smoothie

Gluten free, Dairy Free

1/2 cup coconut milk

1 cup POM Wonderful juice

2 bananas

1 cup frozen strawberries 

1 cup frozen blueberries

1/4 cup frozen cherries

2 Tablespoons agave
4 to 8 ice cubes (optional)

Blend all ingredients on high in blender and on smoothie setting on a Blendtec blender.  

Makes 2 servings.

Scones

2 cups gluten free flour blend**
1 cup tapioca flour
1/2 - 1 cup white rice flour
3/4 cup cornstarch
1 TBs yeast
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp xanthan Gum
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups warm water
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp apple cider vinegar


Combine all the dry ingredients:  flours, yeast, cornstarch, sugar, xanthan gum, and salt in mixing bowl.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry:  warm water, vinegar, butter, vanilla, eggs.

Mix well.  Cover dough and let it raise for one hour.

Break off pieces of batter and deep fry.  I deep fry them in coconut oil.  It is much healthier than vegetable oil and it tastes better too.

Serve with honey butter, cream cheese frosting, cinnamon sugar, whatever else you might like.   Or fry them up and make Navajo tacos.

**The flour blend I used for this recipe is:
4 cups brown rice flour
1 1/3 cups potato starch
2/3 cup tapioca starch
1 cup sweet rice flour


We have a family tradition of eating scones for every New Year's breakfast.

Cinnamon Roll Muffins

I am allergic to cinnamon so I make these with the alternative spices.  You should be able to substitute the cinnamon instead of spices.

Cinnamon Roll Muffins
Dairy Free, Gluten Free

1 box Yellow Betty Crocker GF Cake Mix
1/4 cup melted Butter (I use earth balance)
3 eggs
2/3 cup water
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup crushed pecans
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp cloves
         or
1 tsp cinnamon, to replace all the above spices

Blend all the above ingredients together in mixing bowl.  Pour into 18 muffin cups.  Cook at 375 degrees for 18 to 23 minutes.

Cool while making frosting


White Cream Frosting

1/2 cup vegetable shortening (I use real vegetable shortening that is not hydrogenated)
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 Tablespoon agave
3 to 6 Tablespoons coconut milk
1/4 tsp cinnamon (or 1/4 tsp nutmeg)

Whip all the above ingredients together until creamy and frost the muffins above.

You can sprinkle with addition cinnamon or nutmeg onto of frosting.