Easy GFCF BBQ

*Tips

* Our family enjoys Udi's gluten-free buns.  They are dairy free as well!

*You can use any type of chicken your family enjoys.  If you use bone-in chicken add on a little more time to ensure the cooking process is complete.  The chicken should fall right off the bones for you!!

* Add or take away spice depending on your families preference.  The Cayenne is probably a good place to start :)
* You can make this sauce and use it to marinate and grill chicken, pork and beef as well :)

Did You Know?

 Our family has been over the moon excited about the new gluten-free Rice Krispies, using brown rice (which is better for you anyways) was the key!!  Not only has it provided a new choice beside the Chex cereals in the morning we can now enjoy our gooey treats again! 

 And play with our food!!

*I only use 5 cups of cereal so that they aren't hard, but gooey and don't cut your mouth.

What To Do With This Leftover Chicken???

 Do you ever open your fridge and see that leftover rotisserie chicken or fried chicken from dinner a night before and wonder what to do with it?  Chicken Salad is a great way to finish off the leftover meat that is usually no ones favorite pieces to eat.  Today I made a salad with fruit, but savory chicken salads are just as yummy!

Tips:

* Costco sells a GFCF rotisserie chicken.

Just Peachie!!

 I was talking to a friend yesterday and she was trying to create a few sweet recipes to add to her families diet changed menu.  Her family has a lot of food allergies and so often times the normal substitutions can even be bad for their family.  This got my creative juices flowing.  I looking in my fridge and remembered that I had just purchased some peaches...

 Tips:

* When mixing in corn starch always use cold water.

* Obviously you can use regular oats for this recipe.  If you are not worried about dairy you can use melted butter instead of the coconut oil.   

 *All purpose flour can be used instead of the ground oatmeal as well.

Tonight we topped our crisp with dairy free turtle ice cream.  The caramel went very well with the peaches :)  As the recipe states above though coconut whipped cream would be yummy as well!

101 Different Varieties

 There truly are a lot of ways to make granola.  Tonight I was playing on the idea of peanut butter and honey sandwiches.  I have been asked about substitutions for coconut oil and if you have an allergy canola oil would work just as well.  I like using the coconut oil for the added level of flavor (it is healthy too though)!   Obviously if your family isn't gluten free you can use any type of oats for this recipe as well.  I use organic peanut butter and the same holds true for that as well.  Use what you have in your home!!

 I enjoy parchment paper a lot.  I enjoy the less dishes to be washed thing, but also the double use of a funnel when the granola is done cooking. (see below photos)

Granola can not only be made many different ways, it can be eaten a few different ways as well.  Tonight dinner was warm granola right out of the oven topped with almond milk.  Tomorrow when I am making lunches I will place the granola into little containers for the kids to eat as a snack.  The final and I am sure most healthy way is as an ice cream topping!!  I am really of fan :)  I am sure that I will be adding to my granola collection so if this isn't up your alley make a request :)

"This is Yummy Sauce Mom!"

Tips:

*Purchase your chops at least an inch thick.

* You can stuff your chops with other greens besides spinach, bok choy etc.

*  You could also change up the cream cheese for ricotta or mascarpone.

 * Obviously you can make your own polenta!  By adding to the polenta though the taste becomes homade. 

* You can change this recipe and make it very creamy.  You can use real butter instead of substitute.  The Almond milk can be changed to heavy cream & last but not least add a 1/4 cup of shredded Parmesan or Cheddar cheese at the very end before turning off the heat!

Fish for Dinner...Dad Must Be Out of Town!

I enjoy fish, but Salmon isn't my my favorite.  I tend to lean towards white fish.  However this simple recipe makes the fish quite good.  I made three fillets and sprinkled each with one of the spices above.  My kids ate the fillet with Mrs. Dash and I enjoyed the Montreal Steak Seasoning fillet.  

Blackened Grilled fish is my favorite, but if you are in a hurry and aren't used to making fish a lot this is a great choice!

Our Back to School Menu

 Smiley Face Pancakes are easy to make and the kids love them!  I think that they only tips for this breakfast are these...

*Use a circle cookie cutter to make the perfect eyes.  I knife with a small cup works just as well.

*If you can't have normal whipped cream they do make coconut cream in the can as well :)

 Lunches for little ones with special diets can often times be hard.  The kids feel weird about not eating what others get to and that is never fun.  This year  I tried to make the kids lunch containers fun and exciting with vinyl stickers.  They are water proof and come in many different shapes, colors and fonts.  These water bottles and plastic containers will last the whole year and so will the stickers. 

 After school snacks can become monotonous.  On the first day of school I try to have something special for the kids. 

 Today we had cupcakes and yes they are good.  The Cherrybrook Kitchen makes wonderful mixes that are dairy, egg, nut and gluten free.

 Dinner this evening needed to be fast and easy. You might think that homemade spaghetti sauce isn't either of those things, but truly you can start and finish within a half hour. 

Tips:

* When you want veggies, but you don't like them crunchy or big shred them.  You save time not chopping them and they get soft very quickly.

* Season the meat.  Often times people just brown the meat and save the seasoning until the tomato products are in the pan.  Put the salt and herbs in with the meat and veggies for extra flavor.  Save the garlic for the end of the sweating of the veggies though so it doesn't burn and become bitter.

* If you like more sauce and less thickness add another can of tomato sauce. 

We really enjoyed dinner tonight! 

YUM!

Making Recipies Our Own

 Tips:

* I used medium green chili...if your family isn't used to spice I would recommend using mild or cutting down on the amount by half!  Also, if you purchase the chili in the store instead of using fresh chili they often season it for you.  Make sure you read the bottle and exclude the garlic powder from the recipe.

* I used fresh spinach, but I cooked it before adding it to the pot so that I could have it drained well.  If you or your children don't like spinach this is a great recipe to use.  You get the nutrients but no taste of spinach!

*Kids often times look at food and snub their noses before they even give things a chance.  I have found that toppings and allowing them to build their meals helps with this.  These toppings are favorites for a lot of our dishes and they say that cheese makes everything better :)

* If the heat is to much for your little ones place a little honey over the dish and it will cut the heat for them!

 Don't you just love one pot or pan dishes!!

 Years ago my Aunt Shonda made this meal while I was living with her sweet family.  She shared the recipe with me and over the years I have played with it a lot.  I think that as we become more acquainted with spices and our palates we are able to take a core recipe and make it our own.  My Aunt's recipe is great and I encourage you all to not only enjoy it, but create something from it that is your very own :)

Kid Friendly Red Lentils & Brown Rice

Tips:

* Kids love cheese!  We topped this with cheese and chicken tonight.
* Kids love to dip!!  Tortilla Chips are perfect for this dish.
* Be willing to change things for your pallet, make it your own!!
* Wash the rice and lentils before you cook them :)
* We use Organic Rice, Broth, Olive Oil, Peppers and Onions all from Costco!  Makes it cheaper :)