Well now.  This might be my all time new favorite salad...one I will make again and again. Perfect for hot summer days, and it also makes a great picnic salad or pot luck salad.   The flavors really came through, and as it is rice based, any vegetables you want to use, the key is to chop small.  You can also change up the veggies, and adjust the Tamari Sauce to your own tastes.

DRESSING:

2 Tblsp. Toasted Sesame Seed Oil

3 Tblsp. of Gluten Free Tamari sauce, or more to your liking

3 Tblsp. white vinegar

1 rounded Tblsp. finely chopped fresh ginger

1 Tblsp. Gluten Free Hoisin Sauce

1 tsp. finely chopped garlic

1 tsp. sugar

Mix all of the ingredients in a lidded glass jar and refrigerate until needed.

Salad:

3 1/2 cups cooked basmati rice

Good Handful size:

finely chopped red cabbage, celery and leaves, green onion, green pepper, broccoli including the stems

1 medium carrot, grated

6 inch size cucumber, remove the seeds, lightly peel leaving some green skin, and chop small

chopped chives for the topping

In a large bowl, mix the rice and the vegetables together.  Pour over the dressing and mix through out.  Taste to adjust if more Tamari Sauce is needed.  Sprinkle the chives over the top and serve with any main dish.

 

 

 

 

 

These muffins make a great addition to a quick breakfast or just for a snack.  They were a bit of an experiment, in that I was not sure how much maple syrup to add.  We were happy with the sweetness, but you could add more for extra sweetness.

2 1/4 cup Gluten Free cup for cup flour (we use Cloud 9) (use a blend that contains Xanthan Gum)

1 Tblsp. Cinnamon

2 tsp. ground ginger

2 tsp. gluten free Baking Powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup Avocado Oil

3 large eggs - whisk well

2 cups grated carrots

2 tsp. vanilla

3/4 cup pure maple syrup

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1/2 cup of raisins

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and line your muffin tins (this recipe made 20 muffins)

In a bowl whisk the eggs really well, then add in the oil, vanilla, and maple syrup, grated carrots whisking to combine.

In another bowl, add your dry ingredients, mixing to incorporate.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry, mix, and then add in the walnuts, sesame seeds, and raisins folding in to combine.

We used an ice cream scoop to fill up the muffin baking cups.  Bake for 30 minutes, checking with a toothpick to make sure it comes out clean.  Place on a rack to cool, and store in an air tight container.

This was another way to have pizza - using Polenta, or Medium Grain Corn Meal.  It makes for a great crust that is flavorful, hearty and nutritious.  The Italians know good food!  Plus, leftovers the next day taste even better.

FOR THE POLENTA:

1 cup milk

2 cups water

1 cup Medium Corn Meal or Polenta

salt

Heat up the milk, water and salt in a medium saucepan low medium heat until you reach a simmer.  Add in the Corn Meal and cook on a low simmer for 15 minutes stirring continually.

Pour into an 8x11'sh size glass dish that is lightly oiled with EVOO.  Let sit 20 minutes then refrigerate.

In terms of your pizza the world is your oyster:  Use your favorite toppings.

1/2 lb. chicken breast, cubed small

2 chopped Swiss chard leaves and stems or chopped spinach

1/4 small red onion, diced

1/4 diced green pepper

We used 2/3 cup pizza sauce with 1 heaping Tblsp. of Pesto or more to your liking

1 generous cup grated cheddar cheese

2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook the chicken in EVOO on low medium heat, and remove from pan setting aside.  Add in the Swiss chard or spinach, diced onion, green pepper and saute until tender.

Add the pizza sauce to the pesto in a bowl and mix well, then spread over the top of the polenta.  Then add in your sauted veggies, top with chicken.  Sprinkle on grated cheddar cheese, then grated Parmesan cheese, and bake in a 375 degree oven for 20-30 minutes.

 

 

This pasta chicken casserole really came together nicely, and the Ranch Seasoning Mix added a huge depth of flavor.  The recipe made enough for 2 for dinner, with leftovers the next nite, but you could certainly double the recipe.

RANCH SEASONING:

2 Tblsp. dried parsley

2 tsp. diced dried celery leaves

1 Tblsp. garlic powder

1 Tblsp. onion powder

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. paprika

Mix all the spices together and transfer to a glass lidded container.

2 cups cubed chicken breast, boneless, skinless, chop into 1/2 inch or so pieces, and lightly season with a season blend or salt and pepper.

2 Tblsp. Avocado Oil

2 Tblsp. Ranch season mix - divided

1/2 a small onion diced, 1/2 a small green pepper diced, 1 celery stalk diced, 1 minced garlic clove

1/2 of a 250 gram package cream cheese

2/3 cup cottage cheese

1 cup chicken stock

Hot Sauce - we used a few dashes, but you can use up to 1/8 cup for extra punch

2 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese, reserve a good cupful to sprinkle on top

8 oz. Gluten Free pasta spirals or elbow macaroni

Heat up a frying pan with the Avocado oil on medium low heat.  Add your chicken to the pan, and sprinkle 1 Tblsp. Ranch seasoning over the chicken.  Saute until cooked, but tender, then transfer to a bowl.   Turn the heat to low and add in the vegetables and saute about 5 min.  Pour in the chicken stock, 1 Tblsp. Ranch seasoning and scrape up any brown bits.  Lid on and simmer another 5 min. until the vegetables are tender.

Cook your pasta about 8 minutes, (not fully cooked) drain and set aside.

To the pan of stock, add in the cream cheese, stirring until melted.  Then add in the cottage cheese, and 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, stirring to combine,  then add in the chicken, mixing well and turn off the heat.

Add in the cooked pasta and mix well.

Transfer to a lightly oiled casserole dish with Avocado oil sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese, bake covered 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

 

There are lots of recipes for this throw together dinner.  I believe it's origins are from Newfoundland.  Basically you use up what you have in the fridge.

Looking at different recipes, most of them call for a can of cream of tomato soup, any vegetables you have on hand with a focus on ground beef, potatoes and rice.  Truthfully, the recipes all sounded pretty boring.  So, I decided to ramp it up a bit:  I used tomato basil marinara sauce, added Worcestershire sauce, cut back a bit on the rice (white or brown minute rice is used) and I included a bunch of different seasonings. Glad I ramped up this recipe a bit because yes it could be boring!  All that to say, there is one secret ingredient that is a must upon serving this dish (you gotta trust me here) Ketchup.  Yes add a few squirts of ketchup to your plated dinner and it shines lol.  This is a recipe you can certainly play around with.

1 lb. ground beef

1/2 and onion sliced

1 very large potato, thinly sliced

1 large carrot, thinly sliced

sliced rutabaga or turnip to cover another layer

1/2 a celery stalk with leaves, finely minced

2/3 cup fresh green beans, cut small

3/4 cup brown minute rice

2 cups marinara sauce

1 Tblsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup water

1 Tblsp. minced garlic

1 rounded tsp. cumin

1 tsp. Greek oregano

1 tsp. dried basil

Salt and pepper

ketchup

Prep all of your vegetables.  Lay down a layer of the sliced onions into the slow cooker.  Followed by: potatoes, rutabaga, then crumble the ground beef over top evenly, seasoning well with salt and pepper and sprinkle the minced garlic throughout.  Add a layer of carrots, green beans or peas, then sprinkle on the 3/4 cup of minute rice.

In a bowl add your marinara sauce, water, Worcestershire sauce, and the cumin, oregano, basil mixing well.  Pour the sauce over all the ingredients and set the slow cooker on low for 6-7 hrs.

When ready to serve, squeeze out a few dollops of ketchup - makes a world of difference lol.

Now I do realize, I may have mentioned a time or two or three:  these are the BEST Gluten Free pancakes I have ever made.  Scratch that - completely scratch that, because hands down just check out these fluffy - yes fluffy gluten free pancakes:

These gluten free corn meal pancakes aka Johnny cakes will now be my go to pancakes forever more!!

I think it was a beautiful combination of ingredients:  organic corn meal, heating the milk and adding lemon to turn it into buttermilk, and a good quality gluten free flour mix - we used Cloud 9 cup for cup.

Let me assure you, this is the WINNER - Yayyyy!

I got 3 cast iron pans heating up on the stove at once - yes this girl loves her cast iron!

Now enough raving lol onto the recipe:

1 1/2 cups milk, with 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

2 Tblsp butter

Combine ingredients and heat until the butter is melted.  Remove from the heat and set aside.

In a mixing bowl combine:

1 cup organic medium grind corn meal

1/2 cup all purpose Gluten Free Flour Mix - we used Cloud 9

2 Tblsp. sugar

pinch of salt

2 tsp. baking powder

In a separate bowl whisk up 1 large egg - whisk well till frothy

Avocado oil for frying

Mix up the dry ingredients in a bowl, add the warm milk/butter mix using a whisk.  Continue to whisk adding in the whisked egg.  Set aside and heat up your pans. (I let the batter sit about 10-12 min.)  Drizzle in the Avocado oil and ladle in the Johnny cake mixture a quarter cup at a time.  When bubbling, or when you can smell the pancake, flip.

Serve hot with butter and maple syrup.  Can't wait to make these again.

If you have leftover cooked quinoa this is a quick hearty breakfast to throw together.  It is very versatile too.  You can include sauteed spinach, peppers, red onion, feta cheese etc.

2 Tblsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2/3 - 3/4 cup cooked quinoa

2 small to medium sized Swiss chard leaves and stems chopped

handful of chopped green onions

2 slices of tomato, chopped

2 free range eggs

salt and pepper to taste

Heat up a frying pan with the EVOO on low medium heat.  Add in the chopped Swiss Chard, tomatoes and green onions.  Saute until the Swiss Chard greens are wilted and the stems are softened.  Then add in the cooked quinoa, sauteing to heat through.

Move the mixture to the outside edges of the pan, and add your eggs in the middle.  Cover and cook.  These eggs were cooked for 3 minutes, but choose your own your preference.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

 

Of all things, if you can believe it, I have never made a pot roast in a slow cooker.  Hello, give your head a shake girl!

This was delicious, and we will be having slow cooker pot roast from now on - so easy and so much flavor.

Now, with only the 2 of us, we used a 1 1/2 lb. blade (chuck) roast.  Originally it was 3 lbs. that I cut in half. This worked out great for dinner, but next time? I will buy a 4 lb. roast for more leftovers lol.  Seriously, we could not stop eating this dinner.

In terms of timing in a slow cooker, it will depend on how large your roast is.  We cooked this on low for 5 hours, then turned down to warm for the last hour.  We also used a 4 quart slow cooker.  Recipe is as follows:

1 1/2 lbs. blade (chuck) roast

small potatoes sliced in half, sliced carrots, sliced rutabaga, sliced quarter of an onion - enough to fit around your roast in the slow cooker

1 tsp. of dried Thyme

2 Tblsp. chopped fresh Rosemary

1 tsp. minced garlic

1 large bayleaf

salt and pepper

sprinkling of garlic powder

2 Tblsp. Extra Virgin Olive oil - halved

1 Tblsp. bacon fat if you have it, or use more EVOO

2 big Tblsp. tomato paste

1 cup of Beef Bone Broth

2-3 Tblsp. Gluten Free Worcestershire Sauce

cornstarch to make a slurry to thicken the gravy at the end

Heat up a frying pan with the bacon fat or EVOO on medium high heat. Season your roast with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. I seared the roast on the 2 biggest  sides, then place into the slow cooker.  Turn the pan to low, add in the tomato paste, garlic and saute 1 minute. Pour in the beef stock and Worcestershire sauce - scraping up any brown bits.

Add your vegetables to a bowl, sprinkle in the seasonings and remaining 1 Tblsp of EVOO - tossing well to coat.  Place around your roast in the slow cooker, pour in the beef/tomato stock and add in the bay leaf.  Turn to low for 5-6 hours depending on the size of your roast.

Once done, remove to a platter, pour the stock into a pot and bring to a simmer, then drizzle in the cornstarch slurry to thicken.  Then serve and devour lol.