Crispy Gluten Free Calzones Stuffed With Ricotta, Mozzarella, and Sauce

Large, cheese and sauce filled pockets of crispy dough whose stuffings ooze out after your first cut, remember those? Calzones and strombolis had disappeared from my diet along with gluten several years ago but quickly made a homemade return when I discovered Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix. And while I was pregnant I must say this mix, along with those easy to use premade gluten free pizza crusts, were a godsend as I craved pizzas and calzones like crazy. Pregnant or not, I just love the idea of a calzone that has all of the goodness of a pizza just wrapped up in a pocket of dough…so good!!!

From experience, I would say Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix produces the best gluten free pizzas and calzones that give that beloved doughy texture, without them tasting and feeling like bread. Not to mention with one bag of the mix, that costs you about $3.49, you get at least 6 larger personal size calzones that give our family of 3 a couple of meals (You can certainly make a few very large calzones, but we prefer the personal size so we can customize each to each of our own preferences). I’m not going to lie, making pizzas or calzones essentially from scratch is not a quick undertaking, however the end result is fantastic and completely worth every second, not to mention depending on family size, you can get a few meals out of just one round! You can always do as I did while I was pregnant and recruit your spouse to assist with some of the more labor intensive tasks while you do the fun stuff like the assembly (or even just the eating part!). These calzones are so delicious and make my mouth water every time I think about them! Hope you enjoy them too!  

Ingredients for Tomato Sauce:

  • 28 oz can Tuttorosso Tomato Sauce
  • 1 tsp dried basil for tomato sauce
  • 1 tsp dried oregano for tomato sauce
  • 1 tsp dried parsley for tomato sauce
  • 2 tbsp minced garlic for tomato sauce
  • 2 tbsp olive oil for tomato sauce

Other Ingredients for Calzones:

  • 1 Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Pizza Crust Whole Grain Mix (includes 1 packet of yeast)
  • 2 eggs for pizza crust 
  • 2 tbsp olive oil for pizza crust
  • 1 1/2 cup warm water for pizza crust
  • 16 oz block of part skim mozzarella cheese (Galbani Sorrento is gluten free as indicated via phone, but as always call each time you purchase to review gluten status)
  • 1/2 cup part skim ricotta cheese (Galbani Sorrento)
  • Additional toppings desired such as broccoli or pepperoni (our favorite is Hormel which states gluten free on their packaging)
  • Gluten free all purpose flour for rolling out dough (I like Bob’s Red Mill)
  • Oregano and Garlic Salt to taste 

Gluten Free Tomato Sauce
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Ingredients
  1. 28 oz can Tuttorosso Tomato Sauce
  2. 1 tsp dried basil for tomato sauce
  3. 1 tsp dried oregano for tomato sauce
  4. 1 tsp dried parsley for tomato sauce
  5. 2 tbsp minced garlic for tomato sauce
  6. 2 tbsp olive oil for tomato sauce (I use Pompeian)
Instructions
  1. Add 2 tbsp olive oil and 2 tbsp minced garlic to sauce pan.
  2. Cook garlic on low-medium heat until slightly browned.
  3. Add a 28 oz can of tomato sauce (I like Tutturosso).
  4. Stir sauce and heat on low-medium.
  5. Add 1 tsp of dried basil, oregano, and parsley and stir to combine.
  6. Taste sauce and add a bit of garlic salt if you'd like.
  7. Heat sauce for about 20-25 minutes.
  8. Remove from heat and set sauce aside.
Gluten Free Mom To Be http://www.glutenfreemomtobe.com/
Directions:

  • First prepare the sauce by adding 2 tbsp olive oil and 2 tbsp minced garlic to sauce pan.
  • Cook garlic on low-medium heat until slightly browned.
fdf
Minced garlic browning in olive oil. 
  • Add a 28 oz can of tomato sauce (I like Tutturosso).
  • Stir sauce and heat on low-medium.
  • Add 1 tsp of dried basil, oregano, and parsley and stir to combine.
  • Taste sauce and add a bit of garlic salt if you’d like.
  • Heat sauce for about 20-25 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and set sauce aside.
sdfsd
Tomato sauce with basil, oregano, parsley, and garlic.
  • Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
  • Now prepare Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix by first combining 1 1/2 cups warm water and 1 packet of yeast (included in the mix bag) with a mixer and set aside for several minutes.
  • Add 2 eggs and 2 tbsp olive oil to yeast and mix.
Prepare pizza crust first and set aside while you're preparing the fillings.
Prepare pizza crust first and set aside while you’re preparing the fillings.
  • Gradually add in Bob’s Red Mill pizza mix, mixing well after each addition. 
  • When all is combined, divide dough in half, cover with saran wrap, and allow to rise for about 20 minutes.
Prepared pizza/calzone dough.
Prepared pizza/calzone dough.
  • While dough is rising, shred 16 oz block of part skim mozzarella cheese.
sad
Part skim mozzarella and ricotta I like for pizzas and calzones.
  • Collect all other fillings to assemble your calzones. We like Hormel pepperoni, Sorrento part skim ricotta cheese, and steamed broccoli. 
dfg
Hormel Pepperoni is gluten free!
  • Now we’re ready to separate and roll out our dough for our calzones.
  • Dust your counter, table, or cutting board with gluten free flour and add dough on top. Cover your hands in flour and begin to knead the dough. Do this until the dough is not too sticky to manage.
sfdsf
Knead dough with gluten free flour until it’s not too sticky to handle.
  • Divide dough into 6-7 individual servings. We had 6 personal size along with a smaller one for my little girl. Set all aside except for first one.
sdfsd
Divide dough into 6-7 smaller balls and set aside all except one.
  • Using a rolling pin dusted in gluten free flour, add gluten free flour to top of dough and begin to roll slowly. Take your time with this and don’t be afraid to keep adding little bits of flour as you go to prevent sticking. Roll out dough to form a thin circle. You can either do this on the baking sheet that you’ll be assembling the calzone on or on a separate surface that might give you more room, just remember you’ll have to move the dough to cook it later on. 
sfsdf
Using a rolling pin, flatten dough into a thin circle.
  • I usually like to roll out my dough on a large cutting board and then either slide it or pick it up to move it onto the baking sheet. However you’d like to do it, gently move the dough onto a baking sheet.
  • Now put together your calzones! First, to half of your circle, add some sauce, then some mozzarella and ricotta cheese, and broccoli or pepperoni or whichever other toppings you’d like. The best part here is you can add as much or as little of each of these things as you prefer! I personally love ricotta, mozzarella cheese, and sauce in mine! Just make sure to not over stuff your calzones and leave a bit of an edge to pinch your calzone closed. 
hfghf
Calzone stuffed with sauce, cheese, and veggies!
  • Turn over the empty half of your circle and pinch the cough closed, making sure to create a sealed pocket on all sides. Then using a sharp knife, add several slits to the top. I use this part to mark each of our different calzones, i.e. little one’s have two slits, mine have three, and Dan’s have four.
  • Before cooking, sprinkle tops with a little bit of garlic salt and oregano.
sfdsf
Add calzones to nonstick baking sheet.
  • Cook calzones for 14-16 minutes until tops begin to turn golden brown. Optional: Halfway through you can brush olive oil on tops to give a golden, crispy crust.
sfs
Cook calzones for 14 to 16 minutes!
  • Enjoy!
dsfds
Enjoy!

I love the combination of the tomato sauce, ricotta, and mozzarella cheese all sandwiched into this fabulous gluten free pizza dough. If you have extra sauce, which we always have a ton, we like to take each bite and dip it into a little sauce on the side, it just adds a little something extra (if you still have extra, add it to a freezer bag when it’s cooled and freeze it for next time or another recipe). I think the best part of this recipe is that these calzones always reheat very well. As a family of 3 we never finish all of the calzones that are made, so we always have leftovers for the next day’s lunch or dinner. It’s so simple to reheat these, all you have to do is pop them into the microwave or oven, whatever is available, for a few minutes and they taste just as good as the day before. After just one bite of one of these calzones, you’ll remember the wonderful flavors of the gluten filled ones that you enjoyed years ago but now you can enjoy without the dangers of gluten!

Sincerely,

Lindsay

TIP: Although I have two non-gluten free eaters in my house, when I make something like these calzones from scratch that requires flour and any other potential gluten containing ingredient, I stick with only making a gluten free version to prevent any inevitable cross contamination. Usually, on a daily basis I prefer to make two versions, one for my daughter and husband and the other for me, when it’s easily and safely accomplished. In this case though, when flour is involved, I shy away from bringing out my gluten free and their regular flour at the same time, thus eliminating the worry of cross contaminating during the prep and of course the necessity of keeping everything separate while cooking too. Altogether, making just one version of the calzones is safer for me and my gluten diners sure have not complained about their gluten free calzones one bit. In fact, each time my husband raves about how delicious they turn out! 

 

Crispy And Cheesy Gluten Free Calzones
Crispy dough pockets filled with cheese and sauce!
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Ingredients for Tomato Sauce
  1. 28 oz can Tuttorosso Tomato Sauce
  2. 1 tsp dried basil for tomato sauce
  3. 1 tsp dried oregano for tomato sauce
  4. 1 tsp dried parsley for tomato sauce
  5. 2 tbsp minced garlic for tomato sauce
  6. 2 tbsp olive oil for tomato sauce
Other Ingredients for Calzones
  1. 1 Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Pizza Crust Whole Grain Mix (includes 1 packet of yeast)
  2. 2 eggs for pizza crust
  3. 2 tbsp olive oil for pizza crust
  4. 1 1/2 cup warm water for pizza crust
  5. 16 oz block of part skim mozzarella cheese (Galbani Sorrento is gluten free as indicated via phone, but as always call each time you purchase to review gluten status)
  6. 1/2 cup part skim ricotta cheese (Galbani Sorrento)
  7. Additional toppings desired such as broccoli or pepperoni (our favorite is Hormel which states gluten free on their packaging)
  8. Gluten free all purpose flour for rolling out dough (I like Bob's Red Mill)
  9. Oregano and Garlic Salt to taste
Instructions
  1. First prepare the sauce by adding 2 tbsp olive oil and 2 tbsp minced garlic to sauce pan.
  2. Cook garlic on low-medium heat until slightly browned.
  3. Add a 28 oz can of tomato sauce (I like Tutturosso).
  4. Stir sauce and heat on low-medium.
  5. Add 1 tsp of dried basil, oregano, and parsley and stir to combine.
  6. Taste sauce and add a bit of garlic salt if you'd like.
  7. Heat sauce for about 20-25 minutes.
  8. Remove from heat and set sauce aside.
  9. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
  10. Now prepare Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix by first combining 1 1/2 cups warm water and 1 packet of yeast (included in the mix bag) with a mixer and set aside for several minutes.
  11. Add 2 eggs and 2 tbsp olive oil to yeast and mix.
  12. Gradually add in Bob's Red Mill pizza mix, mixing well after each addition.
  13. When all is combined, divide dough in half, cover with saran wrap, and allow to rise for about 20 minutes.
  14. While dough is rising, shred 16 oz block of part skim mozzarella cheese.
  15. Collect all other fillings to assemble your calzones. We like Hormel pepperoni, Sorrento part skim ricotta cheese, and steamed broccoli.
  16. Now we're ready to separate and roll out our dough for our calzones.
  17. Dust your counter, table, or cutting board with gluten free flour and add dough on top. Cover your hands in flour and begin to knead the dough. Do this until the dough is not too sticky to manage.
  18. Divide dough into 6-7 individual servings. We had 6 personal size along with a smaller one for my little girl. Set all aside except for first one.
  19. Using a rolling pin dusted in gluten free flour, add gluten free flour to top of dough and begin to roll slowly. Take your time with this and don't be afraid to keep adding little bits of flour as you go to prevent sticking. Roll out dough to form a thin circle. You can either do this on the baking sheet that you'll be assembling the calzone on or on a separate surface that might give you more room, just remember you'll have to move the dough to cook it later on.
  20. I usually like to roll out my dough on a large cutting board and then either slide it or pick it up to move it onto the baking sheet. However you'd like to do it, gently move the dough onto a baking sheet.
  21. Now put together your calzones! First, to half of your circle, add some sauce, then some mozzarella and ricotta cheese, and broccoli or pepperoni or whichever other toppings you'd like. The best part here is you can add as much or as little of each of these things as you prefer! I personally love mozzarella, ricotta, and sauce! Just make sure to not over stuff your calzones and leave a bit of an edge to pinch your calzone closed.
  22. Turn over the empty half of your circle and pinch the cough closed, making sure to create a sealed pocket on all sides. Then using a sharp knife, add several slits to the top. I use this part to mark each of our different calzones, i.e. little one's have two slits, mine have three, and Dan's have four.
  23. Before cooking, sprinkle tops with a little bit of garlic salt and oregano.
  24. Cook calzones for 14-16 minutes until tops begin to turn golden brown. Optional: Halfway through you can brush olive oil on tops to give a golden, crispy crust.
  25. Enjoy!
Gluten Free Mom To Be http://www.glutenfreemomtobe.com/

Fluffy Gluten Free Gnocchi Smothered In A Scampi Sauce: A Palermo’s Restaurant and Pizzeria Review

It was another busy weekend in the Gluten Free Mom To Be’s house filled with our niece’s first communion festivities, swapping out spring for winter clothes, packing for our Disney vacation next week, and doing a little yard work. For a little break in the kitchen, we decided to order from one of our favorite local Italian restaurants. Palermo’s Restaurant and Pizzeria has been a family favorite since our childhood and has thankfully made a triumphant return to our lives by catering to my gluten free diet.

Tossing around the idea of ordering my all time favorite dinner, vodka rigatoni, or one of their other standout dishes, the gluten free gnocchi, I opted to go with door number two. The chef, who has a child with Celiac, is well versed on the gluten free diet and all that goes into safely delivering a gluten free meal, so as per usual my fears of being glutened with dining here were minimal. Along with the understanding of what gluten free really entails, the chef delivers quality gluten free meals that surpass my expectations each time. The gluten free gnocchi certainly have done just that. For a little bit of a change from the norm, I went with the gluten free gnocchi smothered in a flavorful scampi sauce of lemon, garlic, butter, and additional seasonings. 

Gluten free gnocchi in a scampi sauce.
Gluten free gnocchi in a scampi sauce.

First and foremost, whatever pasta and gnocchi they use at Palermo’s is delicious. The gnocchi specifically though are soft and pillowy, and are the perfect base for my beloved scampi sauce. Typically the gnocchi can come with a vodka sauce, but I just love the lightness of a scampi sauce that just seems to embrace the gluten free gnocchi. In my own experience, I must say that Palermo’s goes above and beyond when they are catering to the gluten free diet. Most restaurants merely adjust their dishes to be gluten free by omitting one or many components or supplying a gluten free pasta substitute. One of the downfalls for many restaurants though comes to the sauces. For many, sauces typically are a no go to be adjusted gluten free, but Palermo’s goes the extra mile in this department by making a number of gluten free sauces from vodka, to pesto, to scampi. And from personal experience, each have been equally as delicious as the other!

These gnocchi are delicious, so soft, just like little pillows!
These gnocchi are delicious, so soft, just like little pillows!

It is truly a delight to order a meal with the comfort that the chef who’s making it takes the necessary precautions for safety but also the extra steps to ensure excellent quality. The gluten free gnocchi with scampi sauce is superb and has even been made to be dairy free as well for my sister. Either way, the garlic goodness emitting from the sauce is the perfect complement to each soft and tender bite of gnocchi. Palermo’s Restaurant and Pizzeria had certainly done it again in my book, producing a fantastic gluten free pasta dish that anyone could enjoy! To check out my other favorite Palermo’s dish and their entire gluten free menu check out my gluten free vodka rigatoni post here.

With our bellies full and energy refueled, we were able to finish out the beautiful weekend with gusto. It was a great Spring weekend that was filled with family, good food, and lots of fun outside. Thank you Palermo’s for adding a perfect gluten free touch to an already amazing weekend!

Sincerely,

Lindsay 

Wegmans: A Grocery Store Paradise For The Gluten Free Shopper

Grocery shopping is probably one of my least favorite activities to engage in, especially now with a toddler in tow. Little one just loves to turn around in her seat and pull out every last item to hold. By the end of a very long experience, she’s stuffed in the front seat along with a good quarter of my groceries. While grocery shopping for many others may be rather quick and painless, for us to pick up groceries is quite the ordeal. I spend many an hour prepping for the actual trip, from couponing to sale searching and list making. Then finally we come to the actual main event, which I have to admit takes quite awhile to navigate the aisles, always checking labels for gluten and spotting new products that may be gluten free, all while tackling a sticky fingered toddler. I have to give my little girl props though. She loves the hustle and bustle of the store along with the chit chat with its patrons (not to mention the lunch meat samples at the deli counter!) which keeps her in good spirits for a good portion of the adventure.

In our house we try to stick to making biweekly grocery shopping trips, along with a little one in the middle n to pick up milk and bread that don’t quite get us through the entire two weeks. We typically shop at our local Shop Rite which is only about 10 minutes down the road. While their gluten free section has come leaps and bounds since my earlier gluten free days, it never fails, I’ll always have to make a farther trip to either Wegmans or Whole Foods to buy the remainder of our shopping list. This week, as we’re overdo for a larger shopping trip but are also only a week and a half away from Disney, I decided to attempt a smaller trip to Wegmans to pick up the essentials and a few extras for our planned dinners next week. 

I personally love Wegmans. Although I can’t quite navigate it blindfolded yet as I can Shop Rite, I love the welcoming feeling that you get just from walking through the door. They are home to a number of gluten free and allergy free brands that can’t be found many other places. In fact, I’ve found a number of gluten free gems here over the years from premade, reasonably priced, and delicious gluten free cookie dough to, my most recent find that I’m super excited about, gluten free gnocchi straight from Italy. They offer so much variety, as much that’s available at least, to individuals that find themselves with a limited variety of groceries to choose from.

While Wegmans houses a number of gluten free and really allergy free brands, my biggest perk with shopping there is their own product line that indicates gluten content clearly on the labels. This is almost unheard of in terms of store brand labeling. For Shop Rite, this has been one of my biggest gripes shopping there. I only purchase store brand products when their price is cheaper than a brand equivalent, as many do. For Shop Rite brand, this process is a bit more complicated, as allergy information is not printed on labels and you have to call regarding each individual product. While this process is incredibly daunting, it’s also very necessary to make sure that the purchased products are gluten free for me. So usually after I’m done shopping, I call Shop Rite and interrogate them on a number of purchased products. On many an occasion, this phone call has saved me from a dangerous run in with gluten and is accompanied with the return of many of their store brand products.

For Wegmans, the guess work and interrogation step is taken out of your shopping trip. You literally can now go up and down each aisle of a grocery store, not just the gluten free section, and easily pick out a cheaper, gluten free option than a name brand. Not to mention, I’ve enjoyed many of their store brand products, such as pasta sauces and even ice cream, more than name brands. So how easy is it to pick out gluten free items among a sea of Wegmans brand products? Well, not only are their ingredient labels clear and indicative of allergy content, but posted right on the front by the name of the product is a convenient and easy to find gluten free symbol in the form of a G with gluten free written underneath, which you can see here on one of their pasta sauces. They offer a number of labeled gluten free, Wegmans brand products including pastas, sauces, cheeses, deli meats, desserts, snacks, beverages, and many more (not to mention my favorite broccoli and cheese soup available at their market). To take a look at their full selection at a store near you, just follow this link to the product finder page, make sure you select a local store, and finally search gluten free and you’ll find over 1500 gluten free products to choose from.

Wegmans is an outstanding store to either pick up a few odds and ends or do your entire grocery shopping. They are coupon friendly and their gluten free selection can’t be beat. Every time I leave there I always walk out with a few more products then I had intended on grabbing, not to mention a higher grocery bill to boot, but nothing can beat growing your gluten free selection at home. I’m so thankful that a store like this exists and is local for me, making my gluten free experience much more doable and enjoyable.

TIP: If you don’t have a local Wegmans, check out any of your local grocery stores and see if they too offer gluten free store brand products or if they even have a complete list of their gluten free products. If neither of these are available to you, don’t be afraid to go with the route that I still do with Shop Rite. Making phone calls isn’t necessarily fun but if it can save you some money and provide you with safe gluten free alternatives then they’re worth making. 

Sincerely,

Lindsay 

Divine, Gluten Free Pizza Topped With Tomato, Chicken, and Pesto

While most of my days are filled with blogging and chasing my toddler and fur baby around I’m always in search of a quick and easy dinner option that I can make both gluten free for myself and regular for my daughter and husband. As you may have caught onto by now, pesto is a key ingredient in a number of my family’s favorite dishes. I decided last night to bring out the pesto again and put together one of my all time favorite pizza combinations, Tomato and Chicken atop a pesto slathered pizza crust, a combination I was first introduced to on Pillsbury’s recipe site.

Being short on time combined with relatively empty pantry shelves (after a busy weekend, I’m overdo for a grocery shopping trip), I knew this one would be a perfect option for dinner. I pulled out a jar of gluten free pesto sauce, along with a frozen Udi’s pizza crust, a box of Perdue Shortcuts, and a few other ingredients from my refrigerator and I was almost ready to put my pizza together. When you’re missing fresh ingredients to make your own pesto sauce, it’s wonderful to be able to turn to a convenient and guaranteed gluten free premade option, especially on a busy night. Some of my favorite jarred pesto sauce brands include Wegmans store brand, Bellino, Cento, and Classico. (If you do have all of the ingredients on hand and a few spare minutes feel free to use my homemade pesto sauce recipe here.) Another quick substitute that is a huge timesaver to defrosting, cooking up, and carving your own chicken breasts are pre-cooked chicken strips like those produced by Perdue, my favorites that I use often are the Honey or Grilled varieties. After gathering and quickly preparing your ingredients, this pizza takes only a few minutes to put together and only about 7 minutes more to cook. And there you go! A wonderfully gluten free Tomato and Chicken Pesto Pizza that’s prepped, cooked, and ready to enjoy in only 15 minutes!

Ingredients:

  • Udi’s Pizza Crust
  • 2-3 tbsp pesto sauce (homemade or gluten free jarred like Wegmans, Classico, Cento, and Bellino)
  • 1 small plum tomato, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 – 1/2 cup diced chicken breast (half a 9 oz bag of Perdue Shortcuts, I used the honey variety)
  • 1/4 – 1/2 cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese (Sorrento is gluten free)
  • garlic salt to taste
Ingredients for my divine gluten free tomato and chicken pesto pizza.
Ingredients for my divine gluten free tomato and chicken pesto pizza.

Directions: 

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  • Place pizza crust on baking sheet.
  • Wash and cut tomato into thin slices.
  • Prepare chicken breast strips according to package instructions and dice into bite-size pieces.
  • Add 2-3 tbsp of pesto sauce to pizza crust and use back of spoon to smooth out a thin layer across the entire crust, being sure though to leave about 1/4 inch on the edge free of sauce.
Pesto sauce added to pizza crust.
Pesto sauce added to pizza crust.
  • Sprinkle a handful of shredded mozzarella cheese atop pesto sauce, creating a thin, cheesy layer.
Add thin layer of mozzarella cheese to pizza.
Add thin layer of mozzarella cheese to pizza.
  • Layer tomato slices atop the thin cheese layer.
Tomato layer on pesto pizza.
Tomato layer on pesto pizza.
  • Add 1/4 – 1/2 cup diced chicken on top of the tomatoes, being sure to distribute evenly. 
Diced chicken added evenly over pizza.
Diced chicken added evenly over pizza.
  • Finish pizza by sprinkling remaining cheese on top of chicken and tomatoes. Dust with a little bit of garlic salt to taste.
Pizza is ready to go into the oven.
Pizza is ready to go into the oven.
  • Cook pizza for between 5-7 minutes until crust becomes golden brown.
Tomato and chicken pesto pizza fresh out of the oven.
Tomato and chicken pesto pizza fresh out of the oven.
  • Let the pizza cool slightly before slicing and then enjoy!
Enjoy!
Enjoy!

Some of my favorite recipes are those that are either inherently gluten free or can be made both gluten free and regular very easily. That makes me one happy mommy! Whenever homemade pizza is on the menu in our house, I pull out my premade gluten free pizza crusts or gluten free pizza mix along with a large premade regular pizza crust (no mixes here, I don’t usually like gluten filled flour floating around in our kitchen). Last night was no exception, all I had to do was double the ingredients. I always make sure when prepping my pizzas to do the gluten free one first to prevent cross contamination and while that one is cooking, I move on to the regular one. 

This is a divine alternative to your traditional tomato and cheese gluten free pizza! Any gluten free dinner that can be put together in only a few minutes, cooked for about the same amount of time, and taste as delectable as this one is a winner in my book! Enjoy!

Sincerely,

Lindsay

Tomato, Chicken, and Pesto Gluten Free Pizza
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Prep Time
8 min
Prep Time
8 min
Ingredients
  1. Udi's Pizza Crust
  2. 2-3 tbsp pesto sauce (homemade or gluten free jarred like Wegmans, Classico, Cento, and Bellino)
  3. 1 small plum tomato, thinly sliced
  4. 1/4 - 1/2 cup diced chicken breast (half a 9 oz bag of Perdue Shortcuts, I used the honey variety)
  5. 1/4 - 1/2 cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese (Sorrento is gluten free)
  6. garlic salt to taste
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Place pizza crust on baking sheet.
  3. Wash and cut tomato into thin slices.
  4. Prepare chicken breast strips according to package instructions and dice into bite-size pieces.
  5. Add 2-3 tbsp of pesto sauce to pizza crust and use back of spoon to smooth out a thin layer across the entire crust, being sure though to leave about 1/4 inch on the edge free of sauce.
  6. Sprinkle a handful of shredded mozzarella cheese atop pesto sauce, creating a thin, cheesy layer.
  7. Layer tomato slices atop the thin cheese layer.
  8. Add 1/4 - 1/2 cup diced chicken on top of the tomatoes, being sure to distribute evenly.
  9. Finish pizza by sprinkling remaining cheese on top of chicken and tomatoes. Dust with a little bit of garlic salt to taste.
  10. Cook pizza for between 5-7 minutes until crust becomes golden brown.
  11. Let the pizza cool slightly before slicing and then enjoy!
Adapted from Pillsbury
Adapted from Pillsbury
Gluten Free Mom To Be http://www.glutenfreemomtobe.com/

Gluten Free Peanut Butter and Banana Smoothie

If you’re as in love with peanut butter as much as I am, you absolutely must give this smoothie a try. To make this one that much better, it combines bananas and peanut butter; anyone remember those peanut butter and banana sandwiches your mom used to make for you when you were little? I have to admit I still make these for myself from time to time (delicious!). More frequently though, I throw this childhood favorite together for my little girl who happens to LOVE bananas, i.e. she’d eat a banana every meal of the day if she could. This smoothie then has become a real winner in our house, among the adults and toddlers! 

It’s so simple and easy to throw together, and uses ingredients that we keep on hand every week. Just add your favorite gluten free peanut butter, bananas, and a milk base and you’re good to go! The best part is that you get to enjoy the healthy benefits of the banana peanut butter sandwich in smoothie form. A great serving of protein from the peanut butter, potassium from the bananas, and calcium from your milk base of choice, can’t go wrong!

Ingredients: 

  • 1 cup DREAM Blends Unsweetened Coconut, Almond, & Chia Drink (I also like Silk Unsweetened Coconut & Almond Milk)
  • 1 ripe banana
  • 1 tbsp peanut butter (Smart Balance is gluten free)
  • 1/2 cup ice cubes
Peanut butter banana smoothie ingredients.
Gluten free peanut butter banana smoothie ingredients.

Add all ingredients to blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy!

Such a great combo!
Such a great combo!

Enjoy the tasty combo of peanut butter and banana as a smoothie for an addition to your breakfast, snack, or lunch!

Sincerely, 

Lindsay

Goat Cheese Pesto Pizza, A Gluten Free Delight!

I love playing around with gluten free pizzas, trying to make new and tasty options as opposed to my usual cheese and sauce. From white pizzas with ricotta cheese to tomato pies topped with grilled chicken and tomato slices, each concoction I’ve tried, I’ve loved! One ingredient though that translates well not just smothering pasta but also on pizzas is pesto sauce. I’ve always loved pesto sauce, which thank goodness is gluten free by nature! I’ve thrown pesto sauce on a number of gluten free pizzas, and no matter which crust or toppings I chose, each time the sauce married perfectly. 

In search of a different take on my pesto pizza, I came upon Musings of a Housewife’s Pesto and Goat Cheese Pizza. What a fantastic twist on my usual mozzarella cheese, goat cheese! I actually don’t eat goat cheese very often so I was excited to add it to a pizza. Short on time, rather than mixing up my pizza dough from scratch, I opted to use my favorite thin crust pizzas by Udi’s. With my husband and daughter not requiring a gluten free crust, I used a premade regular crust for them and my Udi’s gluten free crust for myself. And voila! A unique twist with some of my favorite ingredients that my whole family enjoyed! Yes, even my 16 month old enjoyed the unique flavor and creaminess of the goat cheese combined with the pesto sauce. I can’t wait to make this dinner again, which by the way took only 15 minutes to prep and 10 minutes to cook!

Ingredients: 

  • 2 Udi’s gluten free pizza crusts
  • 1/2 – 3/4 cup pesto (you can prepare your own as I did or use your favorite jarred version; my favorite jarred pesto sauces are Wegmans store brand which states gluten free on the label (how fantastic!), Cento (states gluten free on website), and Bellino (states gluten free on website))
  • 2 plum tomatoes, sliced or diced
  • 3.5 – 4 oz crumbled goat cheese (Alouette or Chavrie, both brands state gluten free, might be on the packaging, but definitely on their websites)
  • salt and pepper to taste

Homemade Pesto Sauce Ingredients:

  •  1/3 cup olive oil and 2 additional tbsp for blending (I like Pompeian which states gluten free on its label)
  • 2 cups firmly packed fresh basil
  • 1/2 cup pine nuts (make sure these are gluten free; although these by nature are gluten free, they can share equipment with wheat products)
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 3 to 4 garlic cloves, peeled and quartered
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • pepper to taste
  • Add all ingredients to food processor blender; cover and process or blend until mixture is smooth (make sure you stop and scrape sides); while blending or processing, add up to 2 additional tbsp of olive oil to reach creamy consistency; add black pepper to taste.
  • This recipe makes about 3/4 cup of pesto sauce, enough for this recipe!

Homemade Gluten Free Pesto Sauce
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Ingredients
  1. 1/3 cup olive oil and 2 additional tbsp for blending (I like Pompeian, which states gluten free on its label)
  2. 2 cups firmly packed fresh basil
  3. 1/2 cup pine nuts (make sure these are gluten free; although these by nature are gluten free, they can share equipment with wheat products)
  4. 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  5. 3 to 4 garlic cloves, peeled and quartered
  6. 1/4 tsp salt
  7. pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Add all ingredients to food processor blender.
  2. Cover and process or blend until mixture is smooth (make sure you stop and scrape sides).
  3. While blending or processing, add up to 2 additional tbsp of olive oil to reach creamy consistency.
  4. Add black pepper to taste.
  5. This recipe makes about 3/4 cup of pesto sauce!
Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook
Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook
Gluten Free Mom To Be http://www.glutenfreemomtobe.com/
Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  • Add 2 Udi’s pizza crusts to baking sheets.
Udi's thin gluten free crust.
Udi’s thin gluten free crust.
  • Prepare pesto sauce using the recipe above. My pesto recipe is derived from my favorite cookbook from my pre-gluten free days, Better Homes and Garden Cookbook, but of course is made to be gluten free. Even though they certainly don’t have an allergy friendly section in this one, I still refer to it for recipe ideas and cooking staples, like sauces. If you are short on time or just prefer to use a jarred pesto sauce, just make sure to choose one that is gluten free (I recommended a few of my favorites in the ingredients section).
  • Once pesto sauce is ready, divide evenly between the two pizza crusts, adding to the center of each. Using the back of a spoon, gently spread the pesto sauce across the surface of the pizza crust, to about half an inch from the edge.
Pesto sauce layered onto pizza crust.
Pesto sauce layered onto pizza crust.
  • Slice or dice two plum tomatoes. I prefer slices on my pizzas, but use whatever you’d like. 
  • Layer tomatoes on top of pesto sauce.
Sliced tomatoes layered on top of the pesto sauce.
Sliced tomatoes layered on top of the pesto sauce.
  • Add crumbled goat cheese to tops of pizzas.
  • Finish pizzas with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. 
Gluten Free pesto goat cheese pizza ready for the oven!
Gluten Free pesto goat cheese pizza ready for the oven!
  • Cook pizzas for about 5-7 minutes until crust turns a light golden brown. 
  • Cool slightly and slice to enjoy!
sada
Enjoy!

If you love pesto sauce as much as I do and haven’t tried adding it to a homemade pizza, you absolutely must give it a try! There’s just something about the combination of the olive oil based basil sauce and the pizza crust that just works. Top the sauce with any cheese or toppings of your liking, but if you’re in the mood for something a bit different, pick up some goat cheese and tomatoes and put this Gluten Free Goat Cheese Pesto Pizza together. The creaminess of the goat cheese combines perfectly with the pesto sauce and sliced tomatoes. It’s so simple and easy to put together and will quickly become a family favorite!

Sincerely,

Lindsay

Goat Cheese Pesto Pizza, A Gluten Free Delight!
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Ingredients
  1. 2 Udi's gluten free pizza crusts
  2. 1/2 - 3/4 cup pesto (you can use homemade or jarred, my favorite jarred pesto sauces are Wegmans store brand which states gluten free on the label (how fantastic!), Cento (states gluten free on website), and Bellino (states gluten free on website))
  3. 2 plum tomatoes, sliced or diced
  4. 3.5 - 4 oz goat cheese (Alouette or Chavrie, both brands state gluten free, might be on the packaging, but definitely on their websites)
  5. salt and pepper to taste
Homemade Gluten Free Pesto Sauce
  1. 1/3 cup olive oil and 2 additional tbsp for blending (I like Pompeian which states gluten free on its label)
  2. 2 cups firmly packed fresh basil
  3. 1/2 cup pine nuts (make sure these are gluten free; although these by nature are gluten free, they can share equipment with wheat products)
  4. 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  5. 3 to 4 garlic cloves, peeled and quartered
  6. 1/4 tsp salt
  7. pepper to taste
  8. Add all ingredients to food processor blender; cover and process or blend until mixture is smooth (make sure you stop and scrape sides); while blending or processing, add up to 2 additional tbsp of olive oil to reach creamy consistency; add black pepper to taste.
  9. This recipe makes about 3/4 cup of pesto sauce, enough for this recipe!
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Add 2 Udi's pizza crusts to baking sheets.
  3. Prepare pesto sauce using the recipe above. My pesto recipe is derived from my favorite cookbook from my pre-gluten free days, Better Homes and Garden Cookbook, but of course is made to be gluten free. Even though they certainly don't have an allergy friendly section in this one, I still refer to it for recipe ideas and cooking staples, like sauces. If you are short on time or just prefer to use a jarred pesto sauce, just make sure to choose one that is gluten free (I recommended a few of my favorites in the ingredients section).
  4. Once pesto sauce is ready, divide evenly between the two pizza crusts, adding to the center of each. Using the back of a spoon, gently spread the pesto sauce across the surface of the pizza crust, to about half an inch from the edge.
  5. Slice or dice two plum tomatoes. I prefer slices on my pizzas, but use whatever you'd like.
  6. Layer tomatoes on top of pesto sauce.
  7. Add goat cheese to tops of pizzas.
  8. Finish pizzas with a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
  9. Cook pizzas for about 5-7 minutes until crust turns a light golden brown.
  10. Cool slightly and slice to enjoy!
Adapted from Musings of a Housewife
Adapted from Musings of a Housewife
Gluten Free Mom To Be http://www.glutenfreemomtobe.com/

Check Out Whole Foods’ Website For Some Great Coupons!

download

Whole Foods is home to a ton of gluten free and allergy free products, from fresh gluten free pasta to store brand gluten free muffins and cupcakes! As a bonus, they offer store coupons via their website for a number of products, including those that are gluten free! During my pre-Easter Easter egg hunt for gluten free ingredients, I took a look at Whole Foods’ website for coupons and couldn’t believe the number of gluten free coupons that appeared on the list. I had to fight temptation to take advantage of all of these savings that particular week since I was on a mission to only find the ingredients for Easter, however now that we’re in a food shopping week, these coupons are fair game.

Some of the highlights in this coupon list: 

  • $1/1 DREAM Non-Dairy Beverage or Frozen Dessert
  • 50c/1 Back to Nature Juice, Cookie, Cracker, Granola, or Nut Item
  • $1.50/2 Enjoy Life Products
  • $1.50/2 Mary’s Gone Cracker’s Products
  • $1.75/2 MI-DEL Products
  • $1/1 4-pack Whole Foods Market GlutenFree Bakehouse Muffins
  • And many more!

So if you have a local Whole Foods near you, just follow the link above, select which coupons you’d like, print, and save money!

Happy saving!

Sincerely,

Lindsay

Welcome New Blogger and Congrats on the Liebster Award!

liebster2

Thanks so much to Elizabeth at The Pantry Project for nominating my blog for the Liebster Award! Newer to the community, I greatly appreciate encouragement like this from my fellow bloggers. After a little reading on Wording Well, I discovered that The Liebster Award is somewhat of a welcoming wagon for new bloggers, boosting their blogging confidence and increasing their followers! This is a fantastic way to “meet” and get connected with those that are newer to the blogosphere! 

Part of the beauty of The Liebster Award is learning more about other bloggers and sharing a bit about yourself too! Here are the rules!

1. Post the award to your blog.

2. Thank the blogger who presented this award and link back to their blog.

3. Write 11 random facts about yourself.

4. Answer 11 questions about yourself; these will be provided posted by the person that nominated you.

5. Nominate 5-11 bloggers who have less than 1,000 followers and who you feel deserve this award.

6. Create a new list of 11 questions for your nominees to answer.

7. List these rules in your post. 

8. Finally, inform the blogs whom you have nominated and provide a link back to your post so they can learn about The Liebster Award!

 

So here we go for the Gluten Free Mom To Be!

11 Random Facts About Me:

1. I was born and raised in New Jersey.

2. When I was 13, my family of five traveled cross country for one month during the summer packed into a suburban with a trailer in tow. Probably one of my longest but most favorite family vacations.

3. I might be a bit neurotic when it comes to organization and cleanliness…okay I might be a lot neurotic when it comes to organization.

4. I love shopping clearance at Target, especially after holidays!

5. I met my soulmate weeks before my big move to Maryland for graduate school. I quickly learned how amazing of a person he was after not a weekend went by without my seeing him. He drove over 300 miles almost every weekend to come see me for about year. After a year, I decided to transfer to a New Jersey graduate school and we got engaged soon after my move back.

6. I have over five publications in the science world for my work in graduate school.

7. I love everything Disney, and now I’m passing that on to my little girl.

8. I have a rambunctious furry family member who is a Border Collie/Fox Terrier mix. Funny story about how she became a member of our family. When my then fiance and I went looking for a puppy, he stressed that we were just going to “look” not necessarily buy. I agreed to his condition however knew that if we found one that both of us loved that we certainly couldn’t walk away from it that day. Low and behold we met our precious little black and white ball of fur. I fell in love with her instantly and couldn’t stop holding and playing with her. Shockingly though, my husband insisted that we think on it and come back the next day to pick her up. The entire ride home I was overwhelmed with panic and worry that she wouldn’t be there if we were to go back the next day, and then the waterworks started. Needless to say, only minutes after pulling into our driveway, we were headed back to pick up our new little girl. That night, my husband quickly learned that there is no such thing as just “looking” at puppies for me.

9. I’m not a huge fan of flying. I’ll certainly do it so we can go see the world but I am not a flyer by any means.

10. I love everything about being a mother and I thank God everyday for giving me my little girl.

11. With a couple of health challenges during and after my pregnancy, my dream of helping others has became more and more relevant to me. Hence, the birth of Gluten Free Mom To Be where I hope to help others overcome obstacles and succeed at maintaining a positive outlook on life. 

 

My Answers to Elizabeth’s Questions: 

1. What’s your take on pets in the house? I love them. Unfortunately though I do have a severe cat allergy, so cats are a no go in our house.

2. What’s your opinion on dogs licking your face? I know this one probably would gross out many people but I don’t personally mind my dog licking my face. I truly look at her as so much more than our dog anyway, so to me, that’s just her showing her love and I love it!

3. Do you have a mantra or bible verse or other spiritual saying that gets you through tough times? I’m a firm believer in the saying that everything happens for a reason. Although it’s incredibly hard at times to remember this, I always keep it in the back of my mind and it helps. 

4. What’s your favorite healthy food? I love fruit salads! 

5. What’s your favorite junk food? I’m a sweet and salty girl so whenever I have a sweet I have to follow it with a salty. My favorite sweet is ice cream and I usually take a few Snyder’s gluten free pretzels to nibble on after. 

6. What’s your go-to recipe you can count on every time? My Baked Macaroni and Cheese is by far one of my favorite gluten free dishes.

7. What’s your favorite blog? I love I Heart Organizing. This site has so many useful and creative ideas on keeping your house need and tidy.

8. Where does your inspiration come from when coming up with blogging ideas? I base my blogging on my own life and what I’m either going through now or what I had gone through during my pregnancy. 

9. Favorite place to visit? This one is tough because I have a few. Prior to having a baby, my husband and I had been to Italy, Spain, and Greece for our honeymoon and anniversary trip and fell in love with almost everyplace we went, mainly Venice and Santorini. Although we look forward to returning there someday with our family grown up a bit, while our family is growing our ultimate favorite destination is Disney. In fact, our little girl will have been there three times by the time she’s two. We love experiencing the magic that Disney offers and watching our daughter be enchanted by it all. Plus, Disney is extremely fantastic in catering to my gluten free lifestyle which makes travel there that much more enjoyable!

10. Do you have a “regular night” each week- date night, game night, Sunday dinner? We usually go out to dinner or order in on Friday nights and occasionally share Sunday dinner with my side of the family where my little one can play with her cousins. 

11. How do you unplug? or do you?? My favorite break is to play with my daughter and spend time with my family. Family time is so precious and I really try to enjoy each moment as much as possible when we’re all together at the same time. Whether we just stay home and play, go for a walk, or on an adventure of some kind, just being together is my idea of a perfect way to unwind. 

 

My nominees for The Liebster Award: 

Alexis at Gluten Free in Orlando

Sorcha at Absoglutenfree

Jordie at The Fit Nut

Janis at JanisCakes.com

Lauren Marie at Gluten Free with Lauren Marie

Taylor at Mommy Does It All

 

My 11 Questions For All Of The Nominees:

1.  Do you like to travel? If so where are your favorite places?

2. How do you spend time with your family on the weekends?

3. What’s your favorite blog?

4. How do you balance family time and blogging?

5. What are your family’s favorite meals?

6. Why did you start blogging?

7. What’s your favorite childhood memory?

8. Any vacation plans for this summer?

9. What do your friends and family think about your blog?

10. Where do you see yourself in five years?

11. What is your favorite social media?

 

Hope you enjoy this award as much as I have!

Sincerely,

Lindsay

 

 

 

 

 

1 … 19 20 21 22 23 … 26