Category: Gluten Free Recipes

Posted in Drinks

DIY Gluten Free Flavored Coffee Creamers

Posted on by Nicole :)

Coffee creamerIn my search for good gluten free products I realize that I am making more and more things myself to be sure they are actually gluten free.  I have found that while sometimes time consuming, Do-It-Yourself also saves quite a bit of money!  Bonus!

Take for example coffee creamer.  I am that gal that loves flavored cream in my coffee.  Different time of year or holidays  call for different flavors!  Store bought creamer can be pricey, but I stumbled upon a great set of recipes that you can customize and enjoy whatever flavor for much less than the store sells them for.  Giving credit where credit is due, I saw this post on my Facebook page where a friend shared it from Iris’s Healthy Friends (closed group).

When making your flavors – as always, please check the flavoring for gluten.  Great vanilla products that are gluten free are made by Nielsen-Massey.  Hershey’s syrups (chocolate, caramel, strawberry) are gluten free.  Most extracts are gluten free, please check the labels – McCormick says “When gluten or wheat is present as an ingredient, McCormick will declare it in the ingredient statement.”

So here you go………..enjoy some flavored coffee with me!

Start with the the basic ‘base’ recipe, then check below for different flavor variations.  

BASE RECIPE
14oz sweetened condensed milk
1 3/4 cup milk or cream (whole, lowfat, skim, almond, soy, heavy cream, half & half etc – whatever your preference, however the more fat, the more creaminess)

Mix the ingredients together well. Add them to a mason jar and shake it like crazy or you could also opt to use an old (washed) creamer container.

French Vanilla Creamer
2 teaspoons vanilla extract OR vanilla coffee syrup

Vanilla Bean Coffee Creamer
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste

Chocolate
2-3 tablespoons chocolate syrup
(1 tsp vanilla extract, optional)

Chocolate Almond
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 teaspoon almond extract

Strudel
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract

Vanilla Caramel
2 tablespoons caramel ice cream topping
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Chocolate Raspberry
2 teaspoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons raspberry syrup

Irish Cream
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
1 teaspoon instant coffee
1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract

Coconut
2 teaspoons coconut extract

Samoa (like the Girl Scout Cookies)
2 teaspoons coconut extract (or sub coconut milk or cream of coconut, heated & strained, for the milk/cream)
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
2 tablespoons caramel ice cream topping

Peppermint Patty
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
1 teaspoon peppermint extract

Cinnamon Vanilla
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Pumpkin Spice
3 tablespoons pureed pumpkin
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
4 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Honey Vanilla
1/4 cup honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Almond Joy
1-2 teaspoons coconut extract (or sub coconut milk or cream of coconut if you heat it first, strained, in place of the milk & extract)
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup

Sweet Cream
Use 1 3/4 cups of heavy cream instead of the milk in the base recipe
2 teaspoons vanilla extract OR the inside of a vanilla bean, scraped
1 teaspoon almond extract

Chocolate Orange
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
1-2 teaspoons orange extract

Hazelnut
2 teaspoons hazelnut extract

Chocolate Hazelnut
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
2 teaspoons hazelnut extract

Cinnamon Cake
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Salted Caramel
2-3 tablespoons caramel ice cream topping
1/2 teaspoon salt

Eggnog
Replace milk in the base recipe with equal amount of heavy cream
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons rum extract
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Toasted Almond
2 teaspoons almond extract

DIRECTIONS AND TIPS:
In all these recipes, anything that has a dry or thick ingredient (like cinnamon, honey, etc..) should be heated up with a small amount of your milk/cream from the base recipe so it can dissolve properly. You don’t want grainy creamer! Then, add the rest of the milk/cream along with the sweetened condensed milk.

If you want really creamy creamer, use heavy cream instead of milk in your base recipe.

You’ll want to stick a piece of tape on they mason jar lid with the expiration date from the milk used. Use this as a guideline as to when the creamer should be used by.

Play around with amounts of extracts and other ingredients used if you like stronger or less intense flavors!! And, let your imagination turn, and make up your own combinations. Use this as inspiration to create your very own perfect homemade flavored creamer!

 

Live & LOVE Gluten Free!!

Posted in Sweets

Southern Comfort Gluten Free Brownies

Posted on by Nicole :)

These brownies are chewy little morsels of gluten-free goodness!  I created this recipe from several other recipes and it turned out great!

Ingredients:

  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2-3 Tablespoons Southern Comfort
  • 1 Teaspoon vanilla bean paste (I use Nielsen-Massey)
  • 6 tablespoons butter
  • 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate
  • 2 ounces semi sweet chocolate
  • 1/3 cup sweet white rice flour

Preparation Instructions:

  1. Preheat you oven to 350 degrees, making sure your rack is in the center of the oven.  Grease an 8 x 8 square pan.  Set aside.
  2. In a small saucepan, under very low heat, melt the butter.  Add the chocolate and stir constantly till completely melted.  Remove from heat.
  3. Whip the eggs, sugar and salt on medium/high speed in a stand mixer till it is fluffy (should take 3-4 minutes).  Change speed to low and add the vanilla and the southern comfort, mix well.  Add the chocolate mixture (this should be warm, not hot) mix well.  Add the flour and mix just until combined.  Scrape the sides and bottom, making sure that everything is mixed.
  4. Pour the batter into the pan, making sure the top is all smooth.  Place in oven and bake 30-35 minutes until the brownie is pulling away from the pan.  Insert a toothpick in the center – if it comes out with just a few crumbs, if it is gooey, put back in the oven for a few more minutes.
  5. Cool completely in the pan before cutting.

NOTES:

Nielsen-Massey has awesome vanilla products.  They are actually certified gluten free!

Sweet rice flour is often called “glutinous” or “sticky.  This flour works better to hold these brownies together vs regular rice flour.  I used Ener-G brand, and it worked out great.

You can use all bittersweet chocolate if you prefer.  I did not have enough bittersweet chocolate in my cabinet so I mixed it with the semi sweet.

You could substitute any kind of liquor (making sure it is gluten free) in this recipe.  I considered using Grand Mariner, Jack Daniels, Midori etc….

Tip to cut brownies – chill them in the fridge for a couple hours or days before cutting.  Dip your knife in hot water  before cutting the brownies making sure to wipe the knife clean and dry after each cut.

Live & LOVE gluten free!

Posted in Entrees

Gluten Free Chicken and Goat Cheese Enchilada

Posted on by Nicole :)

SO it’s football season as I am writing this post and wanted to share this awesome recipe from Alex Thomopoulos (a stand-up comic turned chef and passionate food enthusiast) for gluten free enchiladas.  You can see her video HERE.  Check out her blog for other fabulous recipes and BE SURE to watch the videos, she is quite entertaining!

I think that this is a great recipe to make a double or triple batch and freeze………..IF there are any left!  😉

Ingredients 

SAUCE
2 poblano peppers
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon dry Mexican oregano
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 cup dry white wine
32 ounce can crushed tomatoes
3 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons sriracha

FILLING
1 store bought rotisserie chicken, shredded (or make your own)
1 log (16 ounce) goat cheese (or substitute your fav cheese)
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
4 scallion, thinly sliced
18 (6 inch) corn tortillas, warmed in oven or microwave.
(1) 15×10 or (2) 9×13 inch baking dishes
2 jalapenos, thinly sliced

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 375F.
  2. Char poblano peppers over an open flame. Place peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside for 8-10 minutes until skins softened and are easy to remove. Seed and stem poblano peppers. Chop finely.
  3. Heat olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic and sauté until onions become soft and translucent, about 6-7 minutes. Sprinkle in the oregano, cumin, paprika, chopped poblano, and salt. Continue to cook another 3-4 minutes until vegetables begin to caramelize slightly. Deglaze pan with the wine and scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Let wine reduce to almost nothing before adding in the tomatoes, chicken stock, and sriracha. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
  4. Allow sauce to cool. Transfer to blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Adjust salt to taste.
  5. For the Filling: in a bowl combine shredded chicken, goat cheese, cilantro, and half of the scallions. Set aside.
  6. To assemble enchiladas: ladle enough sauce to just coat the bottom of the baking dish. Dip each tortilla in remaining sauce to coat and fill each one with about 2 tablespoons of the chicken mixture. Roll tortillas into 1 1/2 inch enchiladas. Place enchiladas seam side down in the baking dish. Set aside 1/2 cup of sauce and pour remaining sauce over top. Bake enchiladas in pre-heated oven on middle rack for 20-25 minutes or until enchiladas are crispy and brown around the edges.
  7. Top with reserved sauce, sliced scallions, and jalapenos. Serve.

Serves: 8

Live and LOVE gluten free!

Posted in Appetizers

DIY Gluten Free Doritos

Posted on by Nicole :)

Today I found a great recipe on the Ditch the Wheat website that I want to share with you.  She calls them Low Carb Doritos.  When you get a chance, check out Carol’s site, she has lots of great info and recipes!!

Ingredients
¾ cup almond meal
¼ cup of flax seed
¼ cup of coconut flour
¼ cup of unsalted butter (can use salted but the chip will be more salty)
1 large egg
1 1/2 tsp of chili pepper spice (use more if you like it extra spicy)
1 tsp of onion powder
½ tsp of cumin
½ tsp of paprika
½ tsp of salt

Instructions
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line a large flat baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Mix all of the ingredients in a food processor.
4. Divide the dough into 2 balls.
5. Place one ball between two large sheets of parchment paper. On a flat surface use a rolling pin to flatten the dough.  Flatten the dough to the thickness of a thin cracker.
6. Lift off the top of the parchment paper.
7. Using a knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into triangles.
8. Take off any dough leftover from cutting. Place it with the other ball.
9. Gently lift the parchment paper with the cut dough, and invert it onto the baking sheet with the parchment paper.
10. Gently pull the parchment paper off leaving the dough on the baking sheet.
11. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 7 ½-10 minutes. The chips are done when the dough is crispy and light brown.
12. Repeat for the second ball of dough.

Live and LOVE gluten free!

Posted in Gluten Free Recipes, Side dishes

Mini Mac-and-Cheese Cakes

Posted on by Nicole :)

I saw this recipe in my Gluten Freely email this morning and had to share.  It looks SO good and I will be trying this soon – but if you are like me, gotta have my comfort foods, mac-and-cheese always being one of them!

“These recipes were created by Silvana Nardone through her partnership with Chex®. To see more of her recipes, visit Silvanas Kitchen.”

Prep Time:  25 Minutes        Total Time:  50 Min           Makes: 12 Servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup uncooked gluten-free elbow macaroni
  • 3 cups Corn Chex® cereal, finely crushed
  • 2 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (10 oz)
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 tablespoon gluten-free flour blend
  • 1 cup whole milk, warmed
  • 1 egg yolk, slightly beaten
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg white, beaten until stiff but not dry

Preparation Instructions:

  1. Cook and drain macaroni as directed on package.
  2. Move oven rack to lower third of oven. Heat oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease 12 regular-size muffin cups.
  3. In medium bowl, mix crushed cereal, 1 cup of the cheese and 4 tablespoons of the melted butter. Divide mixture among muffin cups; press firmly in bottom and up sides of cups with spoon.
  4. In 3-quart saucepan, stir together remaining 1 tablespoon melted butter and flour blend with whisk; cook over medium heat 1 minute. Gradually stir in warmed milk with whisk; cook and stir about 5 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in 1 cup of the cheese until melted. Stir in cooked macaroni, egg yolk and salt. Fold in beaten egg white. Spoon about 1/4 cup mixture into each crust-lined cup. Top with remaining 1/2 cup cheese.
  5. Bake about 20 minutes or until golden and puffed. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pan. Serve warm.

    Live and LOVE gluten free!

     

Posted in Sweets

No Bake Cheesecake with Apple Topping

Posted on by Nicole :)

I saw this recipe this morning at Delight Gluten Free while looking for a cool dish to serve this hot weekend.  It looks so good and simple I wanted to share with you all.  Be sure to check out their website for other great recipes and tips!

SERVES 8-10 PREP 10 Min COOK 5 MIN

This dessert is perfect any time you want that special creamy dessert and don’t want to use your oven. Your friends will ask you to make this over and over!

Crust:
6 tablespoons butter
½ cup sugar
8 ounces crushed gluten-free graham crackers (I used Kinnikinnick graham cracker crust)

Filling:
16 ounces cream cheese
2 cups heavy cream
½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Topping:
4 tablespoons butter
2 apples, peeled and thinly sliced (multipurpose apples—I used Gala)
½ cup sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon

  1. To make the crust, melt the butter and in a small mixing bowl, combine butter with the gluten-free graham cracker crumbs.
  2. Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9” pie dish or a spring form pan.
  3. To make the filling, in a mixing bowl and using an electric mixer, beat the heavy cream with the sugar to soft peaks. Set aside.
  4. In a separate bowl, mix softened cream cheese, vanilla, lemon juice, and cinnamon on low speed. Gently fold the whipped cream into this mixture. Pour on top of crust and place into the refrigerator to set.
  5. Meanwhile, in a pan over medium heat, melt the butter for the topping and add the sugar, cinnamon, and the apples. Cook until the apples are softened; remove from heat and cool.
  6. Serve the cheesecake with the apple topping.

Live and LOVE Gluten free!

Posted in Gluten Free Recipes, Side dishes, Sweets

Ultimate Energy Bars

Posted on by Nicole :)

Since I am always on the quest to optimize my health, trying to find gluten free energy bars THAT I LIKE the taste of has been challenging.  I ran across this and think it might be the key to getting something tuned to my tastes.  Matt Frazier at www.NoMeatAthlete.com posted a recipe that is completely customizeable to your likes or allergies!  

NOTE:  Make sure all of your ingredients are GLUTEN-FREE!

The Ultimate Energy Bar Formula

  • 1-pound can of beans, drained and rinsed (or 1.5 cups cooked beans)
  • ½ cup binder
  • ¼ cup sweetener
  • ¼ cup soft sweet fruit
  • 1 teaspoon of extract (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon of dry spice (optional)
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1.5 cups of oats (you can toast them if you want but I can’t tell the difference)
  • 1 cup dry base ingredient
  • 1 cup stir-ins

In a food processor, combine beans, binder, sweetener, soft fruit, extract, spice, and salt until smooth.  Add the oats and dry base ingredients and pulse just to combine.  Add stir-ins and pulse again just to combine.

If the consistency seems spreadable, you’re good.  If it’s too dry, add 1/4 cup of water; if it’s too runny, add an additional 1/4 cup of the dry base ingredient.

Grease 13×9 pan with baking spray or rub with 1 tablespoon oil, then spread mixture into pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes.

Note: You’ll have the most success if you use unsalted, unsweetened versions of the ingredients, and control the sweetness and saltiness through the sweetener and added salt.

Recommended beans

  • White beans
  • Black beans
  • Pinto beans
  • Chickpeas
  • Adzuki beans

Recommended binders

  • Almond butter
  • Peanut butter
  • ¼ cup of ground flax seed mixed with ¼ cup water
  • Pureed pumpkin
  • Mashed avocado

Recommended sweeteners

  • Maple syrup
  • Brown rice syrup
  • Agave nectar
  • Honey (if you’re not vegan)

Recommended soft, sweet fruit

  • Applesauce
  • Mashed banana (about half of one)
  • Chopped dates (remove the pits!)
  • Crushed pineapple

Recommended optional extracts

  • Vanilla
  • Almond
  • Lemon
  • Coconut
  • Coffee

Recommended dry spices

  • Cinnamon
  • Ginger
  • Nutmeg
  • Cardamom
  •  Instant coffee

*For stronger spices like nutmeg and cardamom, use just a ¼-½ teaspoon and combine with less intense spices like cinnamon.

Recommended dry base ingredient (a combination is usually best)

  • Protein powder
  • Brown rice flour
  • Spelt flour
  • Cocoa (max ½ cup)
  • Whole-wheat flour
  • Buckwheat flour

Recommended stir-ins

  • Shredded coconut
  • Dried cranberries
  • Raisins
  • Dried apricots
  • Chopped nuts
  • Cacao nibs
  • Dry cereal
  • Crushed pretzels
  • Chocolate chips

So that’s the basic formula! To help get you started, here are three variations.  For each of them, follow the same procedure from above for mixing and baking.

Example #1: chocolate black bean happy bars

  • 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed (about 1.5 cups)
  • ½ cup almond butter
  • ¼ cup agave
  • ¼ cup mashed banana
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1.5 cups of oats
  • 1/2 cup cocoa + ½ cup brown rice flour
  • ½ cup shredded coconut + ½ cup raisins

Example #2: cranberry-pistachio protein bars

  • 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • ½ cup binder: ¼ cup of ground flax seed with ¼ cup water
  • ¼ cup agave nectar
  • ¼ cup applesauce
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1.5 cups of oats
  • 1 cup vanilla protein powder
  • ½ cup pistachios + ½ cup dried cranberries

Example #3: maple pumpkin health bars

  • 1 can of great northern beans, drained and rinsed
  • ½ cup pureed pumpkin
  • ½ cup maple syrup (used more maple syrup in place of the sweet fruit here, for more maple flavor)
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1.5 cups of oats
  • 1 cup spelt flour
  • 1 cup raisin bran cereal

So there you go, three examples to get you started.  But really, the point is for you to create your own, using the basic formula as the framework.

Posted in Gluten Free Recipes, Side dishes

Gluten Free Onion Soup Mix

Posted on by Nicole :)

3/4 cup instant minced onion
1/3 cup Herb-Ox beef bouillon powder
4 teaspoons onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed celery seed
1/4 teaspoon sugar

Directions:
Combine all ingredients well and store in an airtight container.

Approximately 5 tablespoons of mix are equal to 1 1¼-ounce package of onion soup mix.

To make onion dip: Mix 5 tablespoons with one pint of sour cream.  Great served with some Snyders gluten free pretzels!

This makes approximately 1 1/4 cups.  

Since Lipton Onion Soup Mix changed their formulation and now has barley (gluten) I found this recipe on food.com and adapted it to make your own gluten free version!  I bet this will be much more economical too!!

Herb-Ox bouillon is gluten free and you can find it at your local Walmart!  If you want to reduce your salt intake, I believe they have a reduced sodium version as well.  Your onions, onion powder and celery seed should all be gluten free…..double check your labels to be safe.

Live and LOVE Gluten free!!

Posted in Gluten Free Recipes, Side dishes

Crockpot Bacon Cheese Potatoes

Posted on by Nicole :)

Serves: 6

1/4 pound bacon, diced and fried till crisp and drained
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
4 medium potatoes, thinly sliced (or if you use a new potato then halve)
1/2 pound shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper
butter
Green Onions (optional)

Line crockpot with foil, leaving enough to cover the potatoes when finished – this will help them to not stick and to steam the potatoes.

Layer half each of the bacon, onions, potatoes and cheese in crockpot. Season to taste with salt and pepper and dot with butter.

Repeat layers of bacon, onions, potatoes and cheese. Dot with butter.

Cover with remaining foil.  Cover and cook on low for 10-12 hours.

Note:  Make sure your bacon is gluten-free……most are, but check the label anyway!

This recipe was originally posted on CDKitchen.com.  What a great side dish to make in the summer – won’t heat up your kitchen and will go with so many different proteins!

Posted in Appetizers, Gluten Free Recipes

Basil and Roasted Pepper Bites

Posted on by Nicole :)

Makes 25 Appetizers

1 package (2.5 ounces) thinly sliced ham
3 tablespoons garden vegetable cream cheese spread (from 8-ounce container)
1 package (2/3 ounce) fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup roasted red bell peppers (from 12-ounce jar), patted dry
5 pieces (5 1/2 inches long) string cheese

Stack 2 slices ham on work surface; pat dry with paper towel. Spread evenly with 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons cream cheese. Top with basil leaves to within 1 inch of top edge. Cut pepper into 1-inch strips; cut to fit width of ham. Place pepper strips across bottom edge of ham. Place cheese piece above pepper on basil leaves; trim to fit.

Beginning at bottom, roll up securely. Wrap in plastic wrap. Repeat with remaining ingredients to make 5 rolls. Refrigerate 2 hours.

Unwrap rolls; place seam sides down. Cut each roll into 5 pieces with sharp serrated knife. If desired, pierce each roll with 5 evenly spaced toothpicks before cutting.

Note:  Please make sure your ham and your cheese are gluten-free. I do not use packaged ham, I get my ham from the deli, a brand that I know is gluten-free and sliced on a different slicer.

I found this gem on Glutenfreely.com.