Chicken Apple Avocado Salad

Here is another salad that is far from ordinary. This is a favorite of my husband's...Chicken, Apple, and Avocado Salad. I created this version the day after my husband and I had a date at a Cheesecake Factory Restaurant and had a similar dish there. It was so good that I had to come up with something of my own to satisfy my craving. Here I tossed romaine leaves in my "go to" dressing of Balsamic vinegar, EVOO, lemon juice, water, sea salt,  and fresh pepper. I added chopped chicken (there are a few brand name pre-cooked chopped chicken packages that are now labeled "gluten-free!"), diced Granny Smith Apples, tomatoes, avocado, shredded cheddar, bacon pieces (just 1-2 teaspoons), sea salt & fresh pepper, and cucumbers. I sometimes like to add fresh corn as well, but I didn't have any when I made this salad. This salad is very filling and very satisfying...and it boasts many healthful ingredients that will give you a real boost of energy. Whenever I make this salad, I actually feel lifted after eating it. There are no carbs or heavy fats to bog you down...and the apples and lemon/balsamic vinegar wakes you up a bit! Enjoy!

Feta and Corn Stuffed Tomatoes

 The warm weather is stirring my desire for summer inspired foods. Here is a little something that you can make as a side dish or snack that will make you feel as if it is July. The basic idea for this recipe came from a magazine, but I tweaked and changed it according to my tastes and what I had available to me. I boiled fresh corn for 3 minutes, cut it off the cob and mixed it with feta cheese crumbles, EVOO, sea salt, fresh pepper,  and parsley. I hollowed out vine-ripened tomatoes, salted the insides, then stuffed them and let them sit in the refrigerator for a few hours to chill and let the flavors mingle. So good! And Gluten free, naturally! Try this with different cheeses, herbs, even change the tomato to another veggie if you prefer...make sure to season the corn mixture well and it will be delicious!

Salad with Pizazz

Here is a fun way to get out of a same-old-salad-rut. Make the most of seasonal strawberries, too! I took romaine lettuce, added chopped grilled chicken, crumbled feta, walnut pieces, sea salt, fresh pepper, and a homemade dressing made by combining apple cider vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, sea salt and pepper. I usually prefer this type of salad to me made with baby spinach but romaine was all I had, and it was still very good. There are endless variations to this...try goat cheese instead of the feta, replace the chicken with another form of protein, change the vinegar to red wine or balsamic, use almonds instead of walnuts, try dried cranberries or blueberries instead of strawberries...anything goes for salad, so have fun, the sky's the limit! It's always fun to add a crunch, a sweet, and an acid to make things interesting.

Today I made a fun lunch with chicken burgers and tomato soup...check back over the weekend for the details!

Pancakes Plus!

Kids love pancakes...and so do I. What I like even better than pancakes, are pancakes plus a little extra nutrition packed inside. My children are picky eaters to begin with, and add to that having to be gluten-free, I need to add an extra something healthy into whatever I make for them to eat. Pancakes makes it easy...I start with our family's favorite g-free mix, Kinnikinnik Pancake and Waffle mix...I follow the directions but I sub in Almond milk, add a little extra vanilla, and then some Almond meal. I have made my own almond meal in the past but quickly discovered that it is easier and cheaper to buy Trader Joe's already packaged almond meal. By adding almond milk and almond meal I am adding pre-biotics, protein, and fiber to our meal with no effort at all, and no one can tell I did it! Occasionally I sneak in a little ground flaxseed, too!  I serve my pancakes with Earth Balance spread, pure maple syrup or a 50/50 blend of maple and agave syrups (also available at Trader Joe's). These are great with syrup, but are so full of flavor that half the time we eat them plain. I usually chop up some strawberries, too...it makes me so happy to add fruit to any meal! When I make this for dinner or for guests, I usually scramble some eggs and make turkey bacon, as well. Enjoy!

Lightened- Up Pasta Carbonara

I enjoy pasta, especially when smothered in a creamy Alfredo sauce, but let's face it, this is not typically a "healthy" choice.  I have lightened up my own gluten free version so that I can enjoy it guilt-free. Take a few minutes to put this together and serve it to your family or have it on a special occasion, like an at-home date night or a special girls night with friends. No one will know its gluten free, and it doesn't taste "light." Here I have taken Quinoa/Corn pasta from Ancient Harvest, and added peas, bacon pieces (a few) and my own parmesan cheese sauce. Topped off with parsley, sea salt and freshly ground pepper, it is delicious. I make my sauce by creating a gluten-free rue, using a little butter, a little potato flour, low fat milk, and freshly grated Parmesan Reggiano. I usually do not measure when I am cooking, so below is the basics of how I create my dish...it will give you the general idea.

Cook pasta according to directions on the box, adding some frozen peas during the last several minutes of cooking; drain together, set aside. Melt the butter in a saucepan, over medium-low heat. Stir in the potato flour until slightly toasted, and then add 1% milk, continuously whisking this mixture to avoid scorching. Once the mixture begins to thicken, lower the heat and add shredded cheese, whisking until completely blended. Remove the pan from heat, toss in the drained pasta and peas until well coated.   Grate a little more parmesan cheese on top, sprinkle with bacon pieces (I use either turkey bacon that I have microwaved on a towel-lined plate and crumbled, or I use the packaged bacon pieces typically used for salads) parsley, salt and pepper. That's it! Add any ingredients you want- this could easily become Pasta Primavera by taking out the bacon and adding several types of veggies. Leave out the peas and bacon and its simply Alfredo! You could also change up the cheese to suit your tastes or what you have in your kitchen. Get creative...a gluten free diet should not be boring! Bon Appetite!

Decadent Grilled Peach Dessert

Here is an idea for an elegant dessert that couldn't be easier to put together. I learned this when I was a newly wed, and have made it countless times for dinner party guests and everyone always enjoys it. Halve a peach, take the pit out. Spread a small amount of butter on a heated pan, and place the peaches flesh side down. Cook over medium heat until you begin to smell the peaches. Turn peaches over to skin side, place a small pat of butter in the cavity of each half. Top the butter with a small piece of milk chocolate, cover the pan with a lid and lower heat. Cook until the peach flesh is soft and the chocolate is melted. Top each peach half with a scoop of frozen yogurt or light ice cream. Indulge! Serves 2.

Tomato Mozzarella Salad

Tomato Mozzarella Salad is simple but satisfying, especially when paired with a nice baguette. This salad has many variations, but on the day I made this version, I kept it very simple. I cubed the cheese, diced the vine-ripened tomatoes, tore some fresh basil and tossed all these together with a little bit of balsamic vinegar, olive oil, sea salt and fresh pepper. I served this with slices of Against the Grain gluten free baguette, which I purchase regularly from Earth Fare. This could be served as an appetizer, in which case you can top toasted slices of bread with the mixture- bruscetta style. Another variation would be to skip the vinegar and oil, cut the bread into larger pieces, slice open, top with the mixture and melt in the broiler for a couple of minutes...delicious!

Dressed Up Turkey Burger

 Turkey burgers are a favorite of mine. My kids won't eat them, but if I dress it up like this, my husband will eat it, so I consider that a small victory. This is great for lunch when I have the time, because it is full of healthy ingredients that keep my energy up so I can make it through the afternoon with extra pep in my step! I take a gluten free turkey burger and cook it on the stovetop in a frying pan, with a little olive oil spray. I top it with yogurt cheese, sliced red onion, avocado slices, and baby spinach leaves that have been tossed in my "go-to" homemade salad dressing. (Mix water, lemon juice, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sea salt, & fresh pepper to taste. Toss the leaves in it a few times and top off your burger with more flavor). I put this sandwich together with a gluten free bun from Gillian's, although most of the time I eat it with no bun. I like to make grilled zucchini on the side- sauteed with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic and onion powders. If you make turkey burgers for dinner it is also a great time for homemade sweet potato fries, but we'll talk about that in another post.

Enjoy! Check back over the weekend for some more meal and dessert ideas!

Muffin Mania- 2nd Edition- Blueberry Corn Muffins

Blueberry muffins are a staple...but this kicks it up a notch from ordinary to amazing. Take Pamela's Cornbread & Muffin Mix (available at Earth Fare, or other health food stores & online) and add 2 eggs, 3/4 cup almond milk, 1/4 cup fat free (or regular) half and half,  1/2 cup sugar (or sub some of the sugar with Agave), a generous sprinkle of brown sugar, 8 TBSP melted butter or oil of your choice, and a generous amount of frozen blueberries. Stir gently, fill muffin cups, bake at 375* for about 18 minutes or until tops are golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean (or just blue from berries). Yum! Play with this recipe- these muffins happened sort of by accident- I was trying to emulate a blueberry cornbread I once had so I was playing with ingredients. I was actually surprised this came out so good! I know everyone says baking is a science and it takes precise measurements to come out with a successful baked good but I have found more often than not when I play around with ingredients I am pleasantly surprised but the outcomes. Just remember to keep the ratios of wet to dry ingredients in tact while experimenting. This mix has a lot of wonderful variations to try out right there on the bag. I want to try the corn kernel cornbread and the green chili cheese cornbread...I'll let you know how they are when I do!

Another quick muffin idea! Try making a pumpkin bread muffin with chocolate chips...I made a batch of pumpkin bread last fall and called it "Autumn Bread." My kids ate it and loved it and they had no idea they were consuming a vegetable. I often try to add pumpkin & sweet potato purees or butternut squash to muffins, cookies, cakes/breads, even pancakes. Sometimes it works, sometimes is doesn't but I figure it is always worth a try to get more veggies in our kids. Adding cinnamon, chocolate chips, or brown sugar usually disguises any veggie taste from my kids discerning palates.

Check back here tomorrow...I've got another great gluten-free meal idea cooking up!

Muffin Mania

I love muffins...LOVE them. Though old-school muffins are glorified cupcakes sans the icing, more and more people are desiring real food and so muffins can now be delicious indulgences that are packed with healthful nutrients. I especially love muffins because I can hide all sorts of good-for-you ingredients inside of them and get them into my kids tummies with them none the wiser- our little secret! Going gluten free cannot mean going muffin-less. So, here are some yummy suggestions to keep those muffins coming!

Glutino makes a boxed mix that I adore-Gluten Free Pantry muffin and scone mix. I love using this because it is delicious and it makes it simple to creatively add whatever you desire with less measuring and figuring out how to get the texture just right. The recipe on the back of the box is a great starting point, and good as is, but don't stop there! I love to substitute almond milk for the regular kind, use less eggs and replace with some apple sauce, sometimes I replace some of the butter with mashed banana or with some healthier fat- maybe try coconut oil or anything you prefer. I have made delicious banana muffins with this mix, mixed berries with flax and I plan to try a banana-walnut chocolate chip muffin soon. For my family's very favorite muffins I use this mix as a base, then I substitute almond milk, add extra vanilla extract, ground flax seeds, frozen strawberries and raspberries and almond meal. Somehow, it tastes amazing and no one had a clue about all of the goodies I hid inside. Once while making these I realized I did not have enough butter, so I simply added some heavy cream (I know, NOT so healthy) in its place and it came out perfect!

                                                     Strawberry Almond G-Free Muffins

Another Favorite around here are my Blueberry Corn Muffins...really good and very easy. Check back tomorrow- I will share a picture of them along with my favorite ingredients and tips on how to make them!

Delicious Pasta Idea!

Here is a delicious idea for a gluten free pasta meal. My family loves Ancient Harvest Corn and Quinoa Pasta...it is gluten-free and full of fiber and nutrients. I love the taste and texture of this pasta. When I am making a carb-based dish I always like to add in veggies to boost fiber and vitamins, and some sort of protein (meat or dairy). In this case, I used baby broccoli and cheese. I tossed pasta with a little olive oil, a pat of Earth Balance dairy free spread, sea salt, freshly ground pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. I then mixed in some of our favorite marinara sauce, and topped it off with some grated fresh parmesan and some shredded mozzerella. I added the baby broccoli to the top...this was so good! 1 cup of pasta (1 serving) became a more fulfilling and healthful meal by adding cheese (protein) and broccoli (veggie). (You can try any combos to make a gluten free pasta become a heartier and more satisfying meal. Try chicken and peas, or tofu and mushrooms.) The broccoli was sauteed while my pasta water heated to a boil. I used a small pan, sprayed a little olive oil, and used sea salt, fresh pepper, garlic powder and onion to give the broccoli more flavor and to make it blend well with the sauce on the pasta.

I will continue to share ideas and pictures of gluten free meals and snacks our family enjoys. Occasionally I will write out an actual recipe, but I rarely follow recipes, so I will more often suggest ingredients and tell you the basics of how I prepared something. I think cooking is more fun when there is freedom to be creative and toss in what you like!

Our Gluten Free Beginnings

Welcome to "G-Free Joy!" I am so glad you are here. My guess is you found your way here because you are also on a gluten free journey. I started this blog to share my experiences in gluten free living and to hopefully help others see that this lifestyle truly can enrich lives rather than be a limitation. My family has gone completely G-free because two of my three children have Celiac Disease. This means that they have a condition which does not allow the body to safely process foods containing gluten. When gluten is ingested  by a person with Celiac Disease, the body (specifically the lower stomach and intestines) attacks itself causing damage and inflammation to the lining of the stomach and the villi in the intestines thus interfering with the body's digestive system and ability to absorb nutrients. Gluten is found in wheat rye, barley and oats (and spelt, a form of wheat).
My g-free journey began when my husband and I finally found the answer to why our sweet 2 year old Taylor was so sick for about a month. She had so many different symptoms with no easy connection between them. She was having difficulty breathing, had ear infections, had a swollen and hard belly, was showing signs of fatigue, weight loss, irritabililty, lack of sleep, loss of appetite, lack of energy. Her appearance was changing dramatically and she was not acting like herself at all. We went to several different doctors several times a week for several weeks and no one knew what was going on. At one point, prior to diagnosis, she went several days where she barely ate or drank anything at all, and if she did get anything in her she would vomit within an hour or so of eating. It was terrible...very scary and very frustrating. We were desperate to find the problem so we could begin the healing process. After a multitude of tests, we were told she had Celiac Disease and that her healing would begin as soon as we eliminated all traces of gluten from her diet. We were told that there is no cure for this condition, that it would be life-long, but that as long as she maintained a strictly gluten free diet she would be completely healthy and live a normal life. We were also warned that if she did not stop eating gluten she could be faced with a whole host of health problems and potential diseases, so we would need to learn the ins and outs of this new lifestyle quickly and make it of upmost priority to avoid cross-contamination of her food. We were immediately faced with the prospects of a whole new lifestyle for the 5 of us. The task seemed daunting, but we were determined! Finding out she had Celiac's was in many ways a relief, because it was something we could do to make her better. We were no longer helpless and hoping for a solution- we had one! I read three books, two magazines, and countless websites all in one week on Celiac Disease and going gluten free. We resigned immediately that we would be a completely g-free home. We felt we needed to eliminate all possibilities of  cross-contamination so we could be sure our daughter would begin healing right away. She had lost so much weight and was so sick that we could not bare the thought of her finding a cookie left by her sisters or a crumb of bread or a cheerio and know that it would hinder her healing and cause further damage. Within a few days of discovering Taylor had Celiac Disease, we got test results back saying that our oldest daughter, Ava, had it as well. We felt that this was a huge blessing to know that she had it because she demonstrated no symptoms and we may have not known she had it until terrible damage was done.  We literally did an overhaul on our entire kitchen. We emptied the entire contents of our pantry and both of our refrigerators and freezers. We gave away all of our teflon pots and pans, non-stick bakeware, wooden and plastic spoons and utensils, cutting boards, etc. We scrubbed out every drawer, shelf, rack and corner of our kitchen, house, and car, making sure we had no gluten-containing crumbs anywhere! We researched foods, called food manufacturers, met with a nutritionist, skimmed cookbooks, shopped at ten different stores, and stocked up on things we had never heard of like "sorghum flour" and "teff grains." We began a whole new culinary life! Since this was not an option, we made the decision right away that this would be a positive, healthy and fun adventure for our family. We knew it would take some getting used to but we prayed for grace (especially for our three kids) and just went full on into it. I can honestly say this has been the most fulfilling and enriching season for our family. We have enjoyed creating new recipes and trying out new things. Every meal and snack became an opportunity to be creative and healthy. In four weeks time our 2 year old lost her swollen belly and gained over 3 pounds! She bounced back to the picture of health right away! We now consume almost no processed foods, we have eliminated most preservatives, food dyes, additives, artificial flavorings; we eat many more whole foods, more organic foods than before, and our sugar intake has been significantly reduced. We all feel so much better, have more energy, and are sleeping better! It has also spurred us on to make other positive and healthy choices in other areas of our lives. We have had much more positive come from this experience than negative, and it continues to be a source of life for us. I believe there is life and beauty in every aspect of life, and nourishing yourself is a creative and happy part of living. I hope to share that through this blog. I will be posting our experiences with different foods, recipes, pictures and ideas for healthy, gluten free meals.