A while back when all this first started...I was doing my best to cook gluten free, but I was still unaware my son was Celiac. I guess I thought he was just allergic to wheat & really it all started because we were doing a "healing diet" to get his asthma under control. And through a course of amazing events we figured out that there was something to this Gluten free diet thing. We became 100% gluten free rather quickly. I have to admit the type of person I am, this all made me a little manic or obsessive you might say. In the beginning ....I hadn't quite de-glutenized my kitchen yet or pantry for that matter. Having not done this yet made things terrifying. I constantly was washing my hands, wiping down the counters, using a zillion utensils to make sure there was no cross contamination. I washed everything before I used it....it was a very stressful time for me. Well finally I decided to commit to this (didn't take long), which really meant cleaning out my pantry & fridge & getting rid of wooden spoons, stoneware, cutting boards, ect. I talked to a church & donated 2 big boxes & 2 bags of pantry items to a needy family, & gave friends a big box & couple bags as well. I thought it would help to give it to a needy family, but to tell you the truth....things were tight & it was just hard to give our groceries away. Some things I had just bought a couple days or the week before. I was glad we were able to give it to someone, but I also couldn't help, but cry. I was finally finished & my pantry was empty (& I have a huge walk-in style pantry). I had no idea what we were going to eat or fill it up with. I started thinking of what I could put in there, but none of it was food. The best I could come up with...was expanding my craft closet. So at the end of it all....I took this time to clean all the empty shelves & sweep the floor where all the sodas would sit. I just had a few things to move out...a bag of pantry items that were half eaten or used (things I couldn't donate since they were open). As I was moving them out...the bag RIPPED & a whole big bag of white Glutenous Flour fell to the floor. The clean pantry now splattered w/ what I like to call "devil's flour" & it splattered into the kitchen and on to me. I think at that point I just broke down....couldn't take it anymore. Do you know how hard it is to get flour off the flour & mind you ...don't forget how crazy I am about cross contamination!
Now five months later we have almost filled our pantry back up with gluten free goodies & healthy good for us food and I have some space for other items, but not so much that it makes me worry about what we are going to eat. Now I wonder ...do we need to go save the needy family from all those terrible snacks & sodas & glutenous pantry items we gave them???
On another occasion...maybe 2 months later....after I thought my kitchen was totally de-glutenized. I accidently cooked his GF waffles in our old toaster....I didn't realize it 'till after I got home from dropping him off at school. Amazingly enough...he did not get sick, but just incase the toaster is gone.
Then most recently, my older son Kasen had picked a science fair project that involved making cupcakes with the "devil's flour". I thought no problem...we can do this or should I say "I CAN DO THIS". Well I washed my hands so much ...they were raw and I wish I was exaggerating. The project turned out great, but I now know, no matter what.... our house is forever more... gluten free. Project or no project.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Chicken & vegtable noodle soup
1-2 lbs. Boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bitesize pieces
3 containers of organic chicken broth (HEB brand- personal preference)
bag of carrots (already peeled -the kind kids snack on)
bunch of asparagus - chopped into bite size pieces
4 stems of kale - cut off stem & chopped
handful of cilantro (chopped) (read that cilantro is good for metal detox)
small onion (optional) chopped
2 bay leaves
sea salt/garlic powder/ pepper
your favorite G/F linguine pasta (broken into smaller pieces before dropping into water)
olive oil
In a stock pot or dutch oven, add olive oil, med. heat, add chicken pieces - s/g/p. sear chicken, do not cook all the way through. add chicken broth to pot. add carrots, kale, onion, & bay leaves. Bring to boil & turn down to low heat. Cook 1 &1/2 hrs on low, then add cilantro & asparagus, cook another 30 mins on low. During last 30 mins, boil water for noodles. add 1 tbsp. olive oil to water before dropping in noodles (this helps G/F pasta from sticking) cook noodles per directions, drain & rinsing is key for G/F pasta.
*do not cook noodles & soup together (g/f noodles need to be rinsed)
I keep them separate until ready to serve.
COME EAT!
This was something quick & easy to make while we were all sick. (just throw it in the pot & forget about it for awhile)
3 containers of organic chicken broth (HEB brand- personal preference)
bag of carrots (already peeled -the kind kids snack on)
bunch of asparagus - chopped into bite size pieces
4 stems of kale - cut off stem & chopped
handful of cilantro (chopped) (read that cilantro is good for metal detox)
small onion (optional) chopped
2 bay leaves
sea salt/garlic powder/ pepper
your favorite G/F linguine pasta (broken into smaller pieces before dropping into water)
olive oil
In a stock pot or dutch oven, add olive oil, med. heat, add chicken pieces - s/g/p. sear chicken, do not cook all the way through. add chicken broth to pot. add carrots, kale, onion, & bay leaves. Bring to boil & turn down to low heat. Cook 1 &1/2 hrs on low, then add cilantro & asparagus, cook another 30 mins on low. During last 30 mins, boil water for noodles. add 1 tbsp. olive oil to water before dropping in noodles (this helps G/F pasta from sticking) cook noodles per directions, drain & rinsing is key for G/F pasta.
*do not cook noodles & soup together (g/f noodles need to be rinsed)
I keep them separate until ready to serve.
COME EAT!
This was something quick & easy to make while we were all sick. (just throw it in the pot & forget about it for awhile)
Friday, March 5, 2010
Cameron's Apple Crumble
1/2 cup GF flour or use GF apple cinn. muffin mix (Hodgson Mill)
1 1/2 cup GF oats (BobsRedMill)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup agave nector
3 med. apples (peeled, cored, chopped into small pieces)
1/2 cup butter (we use Earth Balance- dairy free, soy free)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 cup GF oats (BobsRedMill)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup agave nector
3 med. apples (peeled, cored, chopped into small pieces)
1/2 cup butter (we use Earth Balance- dairy free, soy free)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp lemon juice
- Preheat oven 350 degrees
- toss chopped apples w/ lemon juice & place in lightly buttered or oiled baking dish (coconut oil)
- In a bowl, mix gf flour, gf oats, & brown sugar
- melt butter, add to mixture & mix
- toss mixture w/ apples
- place in oven, bake at 350 for approx. 30-40 mins
Thai-Style Ribs
Slow cooker recipe
prep: 10 mins
cook: 6 hrs
marinade: overnight
3 1/2 lbs. pork baby back ribs, racks cut in half (I cut mine into individual ribs so I wouldn't have to cut them up while hot)
12 oz organic apple juice
3/4 c G/F soy sauce
1/4 c creamy peanut butter
1/4 c minced cilantro
2 tbsp minced fresh ginger (I used sushi ginger)
1 garlic clove, pressed (I used 2 tbsp minced garlic from jar)
2 tsp sugar (optional-I didn't use sugar & it was great
garnish : fresh cilantro sprigs
*Place ribs in a large shallow dish or zip-top freezer bag
*combine juice & next 6 ingrediants in a small bowl w/ wire wisk. Reserve 3/4 c mixture in refridgerator for dipping. Pour remaining mixture evenly over ribs; cover or seal, & chill 8 hrs, turning occasionally.
*place ribs & marinade in slow cooker. Cover & cook on high 1 hour. Reduce heat to med, & cook 5 hours.
* warm reserved 3/4 c sauce 1 1/2 - 2 mins, until throughly heated. Serve w/ ribs. garnish
2-4 servings
**(I did make a few changes to recipe to make it a little easier & this is also a revised G/F healthier version of recipe .....I believe the orig. came from a Southern Living cookbook)
~I served this dish with Basmati Rice & steamed asparagus. (brown rice would would make it healthier)
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