Gluten Free Dinner Archives - Page 7 of 7

March 20, 2014

Gluten Free Blueberry Sour Cream Pancakes

You’ll soon learn that I am an extremely picky eater, always have been ever since I was little and now am just a picky gluten free eater. My diet is somewhat limited as I do not eat any seafood and am not a huge fan of meats aside from chicken, beef, and pork, and even those I have to be in the mood for. When I was pregnant, the meat repulsion was heightened and I was left scrounging for filling yet healthy dinner options differing from my typical sandwiches, salads, and pastas.

I’m one of those people that enjoys breakfast items anytime of the day, especially for dinner. On many occasions, we would put together omelets stuffed to the brim with veggies and cheese or create our own breakfast sandwiches accompanied by an overflowing bowl of fruit or cereal. One of my favorite breakfast/lunch/dinner options are waffles or pancakes. I’ve always preferred waffles as gluten free pancakes have been a bit too dense for me, however this recipe has surely changed my mind. Some of my favorite recipes have come from Betty Crocker’s site including this one for Gluten Free Blueberry Sour Cream Pancakes, thanks Betty Crocker! Please give this recipe a try, it’s so easy and produces perfectly light and fluffy pancakes with deliciously sweet blueberries nestled inside!

This recipe can make about 12 small pancakes, but mine were on the larger side and made about 8 pancakes.

Ingredients:

1 cup Bisquick Gluten Free mix
1 cup milk (I use a Skim Milk)
2 tbsp vegetable oil (I use Smart Balance oil which is gluten free)
1 egg
1/4 cup sour cream (I use Daisy light sour cream which is gluten free)
1 cup fresh blueberries or frozen blueberries (if using frozen blueberries, do not thaw before adding)
Butter and syrup for enjoying

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine 1 cup Bisquick mix, 1 cup milk, 2 tbsp oil, and a single egg until well mixed.
Gently stir in a 1/4 cup of sour cream.
Fold in 1 cup of blueberries until all are combined.

Batter all mixed up and ready to go! — Batter is all mixed up and ready to go!

If you have a griddle, spray with non-stick cooking spray before heating and than heat to 375 degrees. If you do not have a griddle or prefer to use a skillet, spray a large skillet with non-stick cooking spray and heat to medium-high heat. TIP: I use a skillet and tend to keep heat on the lower side as they can burn very quickly. No matter which temperature just keep an eye on them and flip as soon as you start seeing bubbles.
Pour about 1/4 of a cup of batter onto the hot pan, cooking the first side for about 2 minutes or until pancakes are dry around the edges and bubbles form throughout. Pay attention to the edges and bubbles rather than the time as the time will vary between cooking utensils and stoves.

Couple minutes to brown on the first side.

Flip pancake onto other side and cook until golden brown (depending on heat level, this will only take another minute or so).

Couple more minutes on the other side and it's all done! — Depending on heat level, cook about 1 minute more on the other side and it’s all done!

I like to flip my pancakes over on each side one more time to heat for an additional 30 seconds or so just to be sure they’re finished cooking inside.

A plate full of pancakes just for mommy! — A plate full of gluten free blueberry pancakes just for mommy!

Finish up the rest of the batter and you’re ready to enjoy! Top pancakes with your butter of choice, syrup, fresh fruit, whatever you’re in the mood for. I prefer a little Smart Balance butter and warmed light maple syrup. Pure maple syrup is perfectly gluten free however is very pricey; alternatively, check out some of the cheaper brands too, looking at their labels for harmful ingredients and calling the companies if gluten content isn’t indicated.

Serve pancakes with a little bit of Smart Balance butter and light maple syrup. I added a banana peanut butter smoothie made with Dream Blends coconut, chia, and almond drink. — Serve pancakes with a little bit of Smart Balance butter and light maple syrup. I added a banana and peanut butter smoothie made with Dream Blends coconut, chia, and almond drink (Delicious! I’ll reveal this recipe soon too!)

In our house, after I’m done making the gluten free pancakes I usually whip up a regular equivalent for my husband and daughter. I could definitely make these pancakes simultaneously but to prevent any chance of cross contamination I wait until all gluten free pancakes are finished and then begin to prepare the regular pancakes. For those, I use the regular Bisquick mix and add in a similar amount of sour cream and blueberries. While these are cooking, I either keep mine warm under a warm setting on my oven or simply reheat them in the microwave.

This is by far one of my daughter’s favorite dinners! I can’t blame her as it’s kind of hard to beat a soft and fluffy pancake stuffed with juicy blueberries and covered with melted butter. I usually make these about once every other week and either wrap up the remaining pancakes for breakfast, lunch, or dinner the next day or freeze them for dinners to come. To freeze any extras just wrap them up in freezer bags and divide them using parchment or wax paper.

I cannot stress how convenient this recipe was as it uses only things that we keep in our cabinets and refrigerator at all times. So if you’re craving a breakfast dinner or just in need for a quick and easy option give this recipe a try!

Enjoy!

Sincerely,

Lindsay

March 12, 2014

Barilla Has Finally Produced Gluten Free Pasta!

All I have to say is THANK YOU BARILLA!

Several of the mainstream pasta brands have finally joined the gluten free world and I for one couldn’t be more grateful. Barilla has introduced a number of gluten free pasta shapes, including penne, rotini, elbow, and spaghetti, all made with a perfect blend of corn and rice creating a pasta that both tastes and feels like regular pasta. Having tasted my fair share of gluten free pastas I must say I’ve never quite taken to either the brown rice or corn varieties that have existed. The new Barilla offerings have truly embraced the eternal goal of producing quality gluten free food that doesn’t taste free of gluten at all.

Welcome to the gluten free world Barilla!

An added bonus of the debut of the larger pasta brands like Barilla is not only the increased variety of choices but also the much more competitive pricing. It unfortunately is not a secret that to eat with dietary restrictions is a much more costly way of life; to even consume pasta, which tends to be a cheaper dinner option for most diners, gluten free eaters must pay more. Now myself and my fellow gluten free eaters can indulge in a pasta dish for under $3.00 a box, in fact at my local grocer these varieties are available at just $2.69.

Now that gluten free pasta is much more economical to enjoy, it can be enjoyed more often by all. The versatility of cooking with these pastas is endless so don’t be afraid to dig out your all time favorite family pasta dishes or try something new off of Barilla’s list of gluten free recipes here.

TIP: Keep an eye out for these pastas to go on sale, it isn’t often but it certainly does happen. More importantly, keep a watch for coupons for these items, either on their website or couponing sites, they do exist, not commonly but I have seen them. I’ll keep you posted as I discover these coupons so we can all take advantage of finally getting a good deal on gluten free pasta and finally gaining a little bit of control over our gluten free grocery budgets.

Sincerely,

Lindsay

March 11, 2014

A Family Favorite: Baked Macaroni and Cheese Done Gluten Free

One of the worst transitions that an Italian pasta lover has to endure when going gluten free is saying goodbye to beautiful baked ziti, creamy, white veggie lasagna, and ricotta filled ravioli or tortellini. Early on in my gluten free diet, I experimented with all of the gluten free brands of pasta that were available at the time, the best that I had found was Tinkyada brown rice pasta which maintained its texture well while cooking. A common problem with gluten free pasta is its ability to turn mushy, as without the gluten, there isn’t a good binder to hold everything together. Tinkyada pasta both in its taste and texture was as close to non-gluten free pasta as I could remember, however cooking it was slightly complicated and could produce a mushy product with only an extra minute of cooking. Another downside, as is the case with many gluten free products, is the cost of gluten free pasta is much higher than that of regular pasta. Tinkyada pasta for instance, depending on shape, can run about $3.99 for a 12 oz bag while a mainstream brand like Barilla charges $1.00 for 16 oz of the same type of pasta.

For the past couple of years and while pregnant I persevered and made do with the gluten free pasta available but unfortunately never grew very fond of the products that were available nor the amount of money that I was spending on them. Wonderfully though, in the past few months mainstream pasta brands have thrown their hats into the gluten free ring and have produced fantastic products. Brands such as Ronzoni and Barilla have provided gluten free options that are not only more enjoyable to eat but are much more economical. For most of my pasta cooking, I now use one or the other mainstream brand and get rave reviews from my family. On the occasion though when lasagna is on the menu, Tinkyada is my go to brand for these noodles as they don’t yet exist elsewhere but hopefully will soon (fingers crossed).

One dish that I fell in love with while pregnant that was so versatile that it embraced the original gluten free noodles at the time and has since now married so well with the Barilla and Ronzoni options is my mother-in-law’s baked macaroni and cheese. I first had the joy of tasting her macaroni and cheese prior to going gluten free and fell in love with the perfect ratio of cheese sauce to pasta as well as the breadcrumb topping that was the metaphoric icing on the cake. Soon after my first tasting I had converted to a gluten free diet and feared that I had my first and last encounter with the delectable dish. However, my mother-in-law, being the kind and accommodating soul that she is put together a gluten free version and made her daughter-in-law’s sensitive tummy very happy. So I’m sharing today with you a converted version of my mother-in-law’s baked macaroni and cheese that brings a smile to not only my face but also my husband and little one’s faces as well. Thank you Grammy!

Ingredients:

2 cups skim milk
2 tablespoons butter (I use Smart Balance which is marked gluten free)
2 tablespoons all purpose flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill)
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/8 tsp red cayenne pepper
12 oz finely shredded cheddar jack cheese
1 lb elbow macaroni (I use either Ronzoni or Barilla, any shape will do)
Breadcrumbs to sprinkle on top
Remember as always to check all labels and call necessary companies to verify gluten content if in question as labels do change frequently and can do so between purchases.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cook pasta in salted water for about 3/4 of the directed cook time.
While pasta is cooking, melt butter in saucepan over low heat.
Whisk flour and garlic salt into melted butter making a thick roux.
Heat mixture over low heat until it becomes smooth and bubbly.
Keep mixture at low heat and stir in milk and cayenne pepper.
Stirring frequently, bring mixture to a boil.
Remove from heat and add in cheese.
Stir cheese sauce at low heat until cheese has melted and sauce is smooth.

Add sauce to baking dish, then layer cooked pasta, and repeat
Once all pasta and sauce are used, dot top of macaroni with butter.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes.
Dust breadcrumbs (and a little garlic salt if you’d like) over top of macaroni and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
Remove from oven, cool for 5 minutes, and then enjoy!

Finished baked macaroni and cheese, ready to enjoy in about 45 minutes. — Finished gluten free baked macaroni and cheese, ready to enjoy in about 45 minutes.

Although my husband and daughter enjoy the gluten free version I usually prepare a gluten free and non-gluten free version. Typically I cook about 6 oz of gluten free pasta and 10 oz of the non-gluten free pasta in separate pots. I make one serving of the cheese sauce made with the gluten free flour and divide it proportionally between the two dishes just as I directed above. Just as I top the gluten free macaroni with the gluten free breadcrumbs I do the same with the non-gluten free equivalent with regular Italian breadcrumbs. When making both forms of any dish though you have to be careful with cross contamination, i.e. using the same spoon to mix the pasta, etc. I prefer to split the recipe making gluten free for myself and regular for my husband and daughter for a number of reasons, mainly because they do not require a gluten free diet and it’s healthy for them to keep gluten as part of their normal diet but also it is more economical to make a portion with regular pasta which is much cheaper.

This recipe is truly a family favorite and is made in our house at least once every other week (trust me, we would eat it more often but try to limit our pasta consumption). It was by far one of my favorite dishes while pregnant and thankfully I never lost a taste for macaroni and cheese like I had with many other dishes. Pregnant or not, give it a try and I promise you won’t even miss the gluten!

Enjoy!

Sincerely,

Lindsay

March 2, 2014

Happy Birthday Mommy and Daddy- A Review of Salt Creek Grille

The month of March is a very special month in our house as Dan and I share it as our birthday month and even better than that we share a birthday week! This year our little family ventured out to Salt Creek Grille. In addition to the food, the restaurant itself is certainly an experience. Both outside and inside Salt Creek Grille resembles that of a wooden ski lodge and is even equipped with cozy fireplaces. Their kitchen is open to the dining room so you can watch the hustle bustle of your food being prepped. But ultimately our biggest concern as gluten free eaters is what our gluten free menu will look like.

Salt Creek Grille does not have a separately designated gluten free menu, but instead they have highlighted items on their main menu that are inherently gluten free without any adjustments. After some discussion with our waitress we learned that most of the menu could be made gf with only a few adjustments. Their menu has quite a few options from soup and salads to seafood and steaks. You can take a look at their entire dinner menu here as well as the dessert menu (Yes they do have a gluten free dessert!).

On this particular occasion, I decided to order the wedge salad as well as the filet mignon, which was actually not marked gluten free on their menu. The filet mignon was gluten free except for the demi-glace sauce that usually accompanies it; to make this gluten free, I simply requested my go to steak sauce of choice, the béarnaise sauce, which I knew could be made gluten free from previous experience. Along with the filet, was a side of yukon gold mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables. I have to mention that the béarnaise sauce is near and dear to my heart as I first and lastly enjoyed it at our wedding. Since going gluten free shortly after our nuptials, I have only been able to order a steak with béarnaise sauce when we have cruised but never at a normal restaurant on land. Unfortunately, many sauces are thickened with flour and thus chock full of gluten, this particular sauce is no different. Therefore when we dine at Salt Creek Grille I don’t miss the chance to indulge in this rarity.

While feeding little one some steamed veggies prepped at home, our appetizers were brought out. The wedge salad is definitely one of my favorite salads and this one was just right, picture perfect with a perfect proportion of blue cheese to bacon along with several cherry tomatoes to round it off. Just as we were licking our plates from our appetizers and little one doing the same of her veggies, our entrees were arriving. My filet was cooked well done, just how I like it, and the sauce was just what I wanted, reminding me of our wedding meal a bit. Everything was delicious and perfectly gluten free!

Although we’re not big on ordering desserts, I can’t resist when the opportunity actually exists, especially on our birthdays. Salt Creek Grille offers a flourless chocolate cake, actually something I’m trying to replicate later on for my own birthday. It is so perfectly fudgy and cakey at the same time with a delicious dark chocolate sauce on the side as well as chocolate ice cream. As my daughter was nibbling on her goldfish Mickey’s and Cheerios she kept eyeballing the chocolatey treat; I couldn’t help but give her a taste and as her mouth closed in on her little fork her eyes glistened with pure bliss. She certainly has an eye for the good stuff!

Salt Creek Grille is an excellent example of how a restaurant should be able to accommodate all of its diners. Every time we’ve dined here our entire family has always left full and satisfied! Such a wonderful way to celebrate our birthdays, Happy Birthday to us!

TIP: When making gluten free sauces, the best thickeners are either gluten free flour or cornstarch, both of which should do the trick. If a restaurant entree comes with a sauce that is not gluten free, inquire if either the sauce can be left off making the dish gluten free or as an alternative if the chef could provide a replacement gluten free sauce to accompany the dish.

Sincerely,

Lindsay

February 28, 2014

Delicious Vodka Rigatoni- A Review of Palermo’s Restaurant and Pizzeria

Ever since I can remember, one of my ultimate favorite pasta dishes has been Vodka Rigatoni. Sadly, gone are the days that I can enjoy my favorite meal from local Italian restaurants as many deter away from making a gluten free equivalent. The pasta of course is a big no-no and is full of gluten but the vodka can be as well, as many vodkas are distilled from wheat. Despite the overwhelming availability of gluten free pasta as well as vodka distilled from either corn or potato, a number of Italian restaurants have not quite caught on to the flexibility of altering dishes to be gluten free friendly.

Much to my surprise, after some googling I stumbled upon Palermo’s Restaurant and Pizzeria in Bordentown, NJ who offers an extensive gluten free menu.

Palermo's GF Menu Pg 1 — Palermo’s Gluten Free Menu Page 1

Palermo's GF Menu Pg 2 — Palermo’s Gluten Free Menu Page 2

Their menu offers a variety of dishes from pierogies and gnocchi to pizzas and burgers. When ordering gluten free at a non-gluten free restaurant I still approach eating with caution as many are sure to insert warnings on their gluten free menus indicating that there is always a chance for cross contamination. Although I appreciate honesty, this disclosure never leaves me at ease when eating out. When I do though, I try to make sure that everyone seems knowledgeable and understands my sensitivity so they might be a bit more careful (fingers crossed). During my round of 20 questions with the staff at Palermo’s, I was informed that the chef actually has a family member who has Celiac which immediately assured me that he understands the necessity for careful preparation and handling and also realizes the consequences of contamination.

I must admit with little one these days we mostly indulge in take out because of both the frigid winter we’ve been having and the brutal cold/flu season, so tonight was no exception. The food is always ready in a timely fashion and the staff couldn’t be friendlier, by now of course recognizing my husband as the gluten free family. As you can see, my Vodka Rigatoni was perfection! Gluten free rigatoni in a creamy vodka sauce with prosciutto!

Although I can appreciate and understand hesitation in allergy free cooking, I can’t help but hope other Italian restaurants would tackle the gluten free obstacle that exists and make many past and future patrons very happy. Hopefully someday we all can be treated to our classic Italian favorites when eating out at any local restaurant, but for now, I’m very appreciative of restaurants like Palermo’s who are making great attempts to make gluten free eaters feel welcomed!

TIP: Some restaurants may not have gluten free menus however they may still be able to accommodate by either swapping out pasta or changing a sauce so don’t hesitate to ask, it certainly can’t hurt to make a quick phone call before you stop in.

Sincerely,

Lindsay