Gluten Free Crispy Fish Fillets

Gluten Free Crispy Fish Fillets with Lemon-Dill Aioli

Ingredients

2 large egg whites, lightly beaten

1 cup gluten free breadcrumbs (my favorites are Glutino or 4C brand)

1/2 teaspoon paprika

3/4 teaspoon onion powder

3/4 teaspoon garlic powder

4 (6-ounce) skinless cod (halibut and tilapia are an option too) fillets

1 teaspoon black pepper

3/8 teaspoon salt

Cooking spray

1/4 cup canola mayonnaise (such as Hellmann’s)

2 tablespoons finely chopped dill pickle

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill

1/8 tsp garlic powder

Lemon wedges

Preparation

Preheat broiler to high.

Place egg whites in a shallow dish. Combine gluten free breadcrumbs, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder in a shallow dish. On a side note, I occasionally add a little dried dill to this breadcrumb mixture. I’m a big dill fan. Sprinkle fish evenly with pepper and salt. Dip each fillet in egg white, then dredge in gluten free breadcrumb mixture; place on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Broil 4 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.

Combine mayonnaise, pickle, lemon juice, garlic powder, and dill. Serve with fish fillets, lemon wedges and your favorite steamed vegetable. This is such a yummy dish! Enjoy!

High Protein Lentil Salad

I grabbed a bag of lentils at Costco a while back and I was running out of ways to put them to use, that wasn’t so repetitive. So I played around with a favorite salad of mine, and replaced the black eyed peas with the lentils. Try it out and see if you love it as much as I do! I love Mexican food, and my Granny taught me a few southern tricks of the trade, and thats where my usual black eyed peas came into play. Now I am proud to say that I have options!

High Protein Lentil Salad 

1 cup dry lentils (green or brown)
15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained (could use black eyed peas here too)
1 red bell pepper
1 C thawed sweet corn kernels
1/2 small red onion (or sweet onion)
1-2 Roma tomatoes
Large bunch cilantro, stems removed
1 medium avocado, chopped
Optional: green onion (I love onions, so I use them!)

Dressing:

Juice of 1 lime
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. cumin
1/8-1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
Tapatio hot sauce, to your personal taste

Directions:

Cook lentils according to package directions, leaving them firm and not mushy.
Drain them.

While lentils are cooking, you can make the dressing: place all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.

Finely dice the bell pepper, onion, avocados and tomatoes. Roughly chop the cilantro.

In a large bowl, place the black beans, bell pepper, onion, tomatoes, and lentils.

Add the dressing and toss to combine. Add avocado and cilantro, and lightly toss.

Serve immediately or chill covered in the fridge for at least an hour to let the flavors combine.

I LOVE to eat this with tortilla chips, but it is amazing just as it is, a stand-alone salad packed with protein! Enjoy!

Gluten Free Falafel

As you can tell, I had food on the brain today! I woke up early and got to work making buttermilk pancakes and then ran a ton of errands…aka kids to their various activities! Then my eldest had a friend over who is vegetarian, so I had to start brain storming what would be a good snack to serve. We love foods from all over the world, and the more I can convert gluten free or are already gluten free, it just makes my life very happy! So for Andy, the gluten free falafel wheels started turning! They turned out super good, and will be a good addition to the lunch box menu! Hope you love them as much as we did!

Gluten Free Vegan Falafel

1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed, drained and patted dry

1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley (or sub cilantro)

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 shallots, minced

2 Tbsp (17 g) raw sesame seeds (or sub finely chopped nuts, such as pecans)

1 1/2 tsp cumin, plus more to taste

1 tsp ground coriander

1 pinch of cardamom

1/4 tsp each sea salt and black pepper, plus more to taste

3-4 Tbsp all purpose glute free flour

3-4 Tbsp cooking oil (I like coconut oil, but any high heat oil will work)

Place chickpeas, parsley, shallot, garlic, sesame seeds, cumin, cardamom, coriander, salt, pepper to food processor or blender and mix/pulse to combine, scraping down sides as needed until thoroughly combined. You don’t want dough, the mixture should be crumbly.

Next add the gluten free flour 1 Tablespoon at a time and pulse to combine until no longer wet and you can mold the dough into a ball without it sticking to your hands.

Transfer to a mixing bowl, cover and refrigerate mixture for abut an 1 hour to let it firm up. Once chilled and firm, scoop out rounded tablespoons and then form them into 11-12 small discs.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add enough oil to generously coat the pan – about 2 tablespoons, swirling the pan to coat it in oil. Once the oil is hot, add only as many falafel as will fit very comfortably in the pan at a time – about 5. Adding too many falafel discs will cause the oil temperature to drop, resulting in soggy, oil soaked falafel discs! Nasty!

Cook the falafel for a total of about 4-5 minutes, flipping when the underside is deep golden brown. Repeat this until all of the falafel are browned. They will also firm up more once slightly cooled.

My favorite way to serve falafel is in a traditional way. Well, at least its traditional to me. The first time I had falafel was at a restaurant called Al Amir in downtown Portland, OR. I went there with my friend Brandy and fell in love with the falafel! So back to my serving technique…on top of hummus, drizzled in tahini, maybe throw some raw carrots or veggies of choice. A delicious memory I can re-create as I please!

Gluten Free Buttermilk Pancakes

In my opinion, this is an awesome recipe for gluten free buttermilk pancakes. Recipes like this allow me to enjoy the comfort foods I was so afraid of giving up when I had to go gluten free. The kids love them too!

1 cup all-purpose gluten free flour blend

2 Tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon xantham gum (omit if your flour blend has it)

1 large egg

1 cup buttermilk, shake it up (or your favorite milk if buttermilk is not your thing)

2 tablespoons melted butter

1/4 cup milk or more if it needs to be thinner (careful here if you don’t use buttermilk to begin with, you could make the pancake batter too thin)

Spray a non-stick griddle or large skillet with gluten-free cooking spray. Heat over medium low heat.

In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and xanthan. Whisk to combine. Add the egg, buttermilk and melted butter and whisk until smooth. If the batter seems excessively thick add 1/4 cup of milk and whisk again. Just do this gradually so you don’t make the batter too thin.

Ladle and pour batter by 1/4 cupful’s onto a hot griddle. Cook for about 3 minutes on the first side. Flip when bubbles begin to form around the edges. Cook on the remaining side for about 5 minutes more, turning down the heat if browning too quickly. Definitely keep an eye on the temperature, and don’t let it get too hot.

You have to cook these pancakes low and slow. Otherwise they burn and get hard. You want the perfect gluten-free pancakes!

You serve with butter and real maple syrup, or if you are like me, spread on some of your favorite nut butter first, ten throw on some berries or nuts with the syrup! Delicious!

Spaghetti Squash Tacos

I was staring into the pantry tonight, wondering what to make for dinner. There on the shelf sat two spaghetti squash. They were screaming my name! But I just was not in the mood for spaghetti. We had it a while on winter vacation in Sunriver. I wanted to uphold my traditional Taco Tuesdays…then it hit me! I am going to try a twist on my Mexican favorite…Spaghetti Squash Tacos!!

Ingredients:

• 1 medium spaghetti squash
• 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ½ tbsp chili powder
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp sea salt
• Sixteen 6-inch corn tortillas
• 1 can organic black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, finely diced
• 1 avocado, chopped
• chopped cilantro
• favorite salsa

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and spray pan with coconut oil cooking spray. You will then need to cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and roast the halves facedown on baking pan for 35-40 minutes or until flesh is soft. This method keeps the squash moist and I think cooks it faster.

2. Once the squash is cooked, remove it from oven and allow to cool 5-10minutes, you then scrape the flesh of the squash with a fork to loosen and separate the strands. The strands come out just like spaghetti! Add the strands of ‘noodles’ to a bowl and throw away the skins.

3. In a separate bowl, combine chili powder, cumin, coriander, and salt, whisk in lemon juice and pour over squash strands. Gently toss to mix seasonings throughout, taste and adjust seasonings accordingly. I think that depending on your palate, the seasonings will need to be adjusted. I have found that the lemon dilutes the spices too much on occasion.

4. Heat a dry skillet, or it you are a die hard Mexican food lover like me, a tortilla pan, over medium heat and warm tortillas one at a time until slightly blistered on each side, about 30-45 seconds per side. You can burn them quickly, so pay attention!

5. To create the tacos, transfer warmed tortillas to your plate and add a spoonful of black beans, a scoop of seasoned squash, a little dollop of Greek yogurt, finely chopped tomatoes and avocados. If you like other toppings on your tacos, go for it! Create them as you wish! I like to top mine with a cilantro, onion and lime juice mix. Oh and don’t forget your favorite salsa! Make it your own taco the way you like it! ENJOY!!

This was amazing and the kids enjoyed a change on the usual Taco Tuesday! Made for a new texture and was creative…fun in the kitchen!

Gluten Free Chicken Noodle Soup

I make sure it is full of carrot, celery, garlic, onions, thyme and chicken. The easy twist to make it gluten free is substitute the noodles for your favorite gluten free type. My new found favorite is Banza, chickpea noodles! They are amazing! Cook fast and taste great, closest to a real noodle I think I have found.

Here is my homemade Gluten Free Chicken noodle Soup, enjoy!!

6 cups Chicken Stock or fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth

2 cups cream of chicken soup (gluten free, organic)

2 (4-ounce) skinless, bone-in chicken thighs

1 (12-ounce) skinless, bone-in chicken breast half

2 cups diagonally sliced carrot

2 cups diagonally sliced celery

1 cup chopped onion

6 ounces uncooked Banza spiral noodles

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Celery leaves (optional)

1 teaspoon thyme

Combine the first 3 ingredients in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 20 minutes. Remove chicken from pan; let stand for 10 minutes. Remove chicken from bones; shred meat into bite-sized pieces. Discard bones.

Add carrot, celery, and onion to pan; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add noodles, and simmer 6 minutes. Add chicken, salt, and black pepper and thyme; cook for 2 minutes or until noodles are done. Garnish with celery leaves, if desired.

This soup will become a favorite in your house as it is in ours. Love in a bowl anytime you need it, its delicious!

Santa Hat Meringues

This fun seasonal treat is perfect for the upcoming holiday! It’s pretty simple and very cute! Thanks to Women’s Day for sharing this festive recipe for Santa Hat Meringues!.

The Ingredients you will need are:

4 large eggs

1/2  tsp of cream of tartar

1 cup of super fine sugar

Red gel food color

10 oz white chocolate, finely chopped

1 and 1/2 cups finely shredded coconut

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 225 degrees fahrenheit and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper

• Using an electric  mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and salt in a large bowl on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, 5 to 7 minutes.

• Add the cream of tartar then increase the speed to high and gradually add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, waiting 4-5 seconds between additions, until the meringue forms stiff glossy peaks; transfer 1/3 of a cups of the plain meringue to a small piping bag with a small round tip. With the mixer running, add the food coloring to the remaining meringue and tint to desired color.

• Transfer the red mixture to a large piping bag with a large star tip. Pipe Santa hats onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 1 1/2  inches apart. Using the reserved plain meringue, top each peak with a dot (for the cotton ball). Bake, rotating the pans halfway through, until no longer tacky but still soft, 60-65 minutes. Let cool completely on the sheet. Once cool, melt the white chocolate in microwave. Dip the bottom of each Santa hat into the melted chocolate, shaking off any excess, then immediately coat in coconut. Repeat with the cotton ball. Transfer back to parchment-lined baking sheets and let set, then enjoy!

I hope you, your family, and friends will enjoy this scrumptious and fun holiday treat together!

Recipe courtesy of Women’s Day, Picture by Con Poulos; Prop stylist: Megan Hedpeth

Gluten Free Lemon Zucchini Bread

This is an amazing gluten free lemon zucchini bread recipe that I have adapted from Nicole Hunn, of Gluten Free On A Shoestring. Her recipe calls for a lemon glaze to be poured over top, however, I prefer a little extra lemon in the bread, and hold the sugar glaze. I’m not a big sugar person, so this fits me well. Hope you enjoy it, its a new favorite at my house!

1  1/2 C + 2 T  all purpose gluten free flour

3/4 tsp xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)

6 T arrowroot

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 C granulated sugar

Zest of 2 large lemon (if you want the glaze only use zest of one lemon)

2 C grated zucchini

2 eggs at room temperature, beaten

5 T canola or avocado oil

3 T freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions:

• Preheat your oven to 325°F. Grease a standard 9-inch x 5-inch loaf pan and set it aside.

• In a large bowl, place flour, xanthan gum, arrowroot, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar, and whisk to combine well. Add the lemon zest, and whisk until evenly distributed throughout the mixture, breaking up any lumps in the zest. Place 1 1/4 cups of the grated zucchini on a large paper towel, fold over the towel and squeeze the zucchini to release some of the moisture. Add it to the dry ingredients and mix to combine. Set the dry ingredients aside.

• Place the remaining 3/4 cup of grated zucchini, along with the eggs, oil and lemon juice in a blender, and pulse until well-blended and beginning to emulsify. Create a well in the center of the bowl of dry ingredients, add the wet ingredient mixture. The batter will be thick. Scrape it into the prepared loaf pan, and smooth the top with a wet spatula.

• Place the loaf pan in the center of the preheated oven. Bake, rotating once, until the top is lightly golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out with a few moist crumbs attached (about 50 minutes). Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes in the loaf pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

If you want to add a glaze, here it is:

Icing/glaze
1 1/2 C confectioners’ sugar

1 1/2 T freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more by the 1/4 teaspoonful if necessary

Place the confectioners’ sugar and 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice. Mix well, until a thick paste forms. Add more lemon juice by the 1/4-teaspoon, mixing to combine well, until the glaze falls off the spoon slowly, in a thick but pourable glaze. Add liquid very slowly, as it is much easier to thin, than to thicken, the glaze. If you do thin the glaze too much, add more confectioners’ sugar a teaspoon at a time to thicken it. Pour the glaze over the top of the cooled bread and, using a small offset spatula or large knife, spread into an even layer. Allow the glaze to set at room temperature before slicing the loaf thickly and serving.

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Being gluten free, leaves one searching for tasty replacements for old favorites. Here is a delicious alternative to the traditional…introducing the cauliflower pizza crust! Top it just like you would any other pizza, but know you just added a power punch with this veggie crust. It makes about a nine inch crust, so you can share it with someone you love!

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Ingredients:

2 pounds cauliflower florets, (riced: you’ll learn to do this below)
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup mozzarella
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
pinch of salt

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400F.

To make the cauliflower rice, you will pulse batches of raw cauliflower florets in a food processor, until a rice-like texture is achieved.

Fill a large pot with about an inch of water, and bring it to a boil. Add the “rice” and cover; let it cook for about 4-5 minutes. Drain into a fine-mesh strainer.

The best piece of advice I have learned making this crust is the following: Once you’ve strained the rice, transfer it to a clean, thin dishtowel. Wrap up the steamed rice in the dishtowel, twist it up, then SQUEEZE ALL THE EXCESS MISTURE OUT! If you do not do this, you will be left with a wet, soggy crust that you cannot pick up!

In a large bowl, mix up your strained rice, beaten egg, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, and spices. (Use your hands! You want it very well mixed.) The texture is very different, not like your mama’s old pizza crust dough, but this is so good and worth getting your hands dirty!

Press the dough out onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. (It’s important that it’s lined with parchment paper, or it will stick.) Keep the dough about ⅓” thick, and make the edges a little higher for a “crust” effect, if you like.

Bake for 35-40 minutes at 400F. The crust should be firm, and golden brown when finished.

Now’s the time to choose and add some of your favorite toppings– sauce, cheese, veggies and any other toppings you like. Return the pizza to the 400 degree oven, and bake an additional 7-10 minutes, just until the cheese is hot and bubbly.

Slice and serve!

Raw Easter Brownie Bites

Raw Easter Brownie Bites

(Makes 6-8 Brownie Bites)

Ingredients:

2/3 Cup Medjool Dates

1/2 Cup Walnuts (or you can use raw cashew halves or almonds)

2 Tablespoon Cocoa Powder

1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Pinch of Sea salt

Unsweetened Shredded Coconut

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until well combined and dough can be formed into bars or rolled into small balls. If you roll into balls or bites, you can then roll them into the unsweetened shredded coconut for extra flavor.

These healthy, easy and delicious, raw brownie bites are a hit with people of all ages. Kid tested and approved over and over! Happy Easter! Enjoy!