Scrambled Egg Muffins

I had a brunch at my house recently and I tried this recipe.  They were quick, easy, healthy and delicious!!  Not to mention gluten-free!

Enjoy!
Kirsten

PS: The recipe comes from Allrecipes.com


SCRAMBLED EGG MUFFINS

1/2 pound gluten-free bulk pork sausage
12 eggs
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup cheddar cheese

1)  Preheat oven to 350F degrees.  Lightly grease 12 muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.

2)  Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and stir in sausage; cook and stir until sausage is crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink, 10 to 15 minutes; drain.

3)  Beat eggs in a large bowl.  Stir in onion, green pepper, salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Mix in sausage and cheddar cheese.  Spoon into muffin cups about 2/3 full.

4)  Bake in preheated oven until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.

NOTES:

~I used grass-fed Chorizo instead of the pork sausage.  I am making them again today and I am using bacon.  You can use whatever type of gluten-free meat you want.  Just cook the meat ahead of time, then add to the mix.

~I used onion powder instead of garlic, since I am allergic to garlic.

~I omitted the cheese, since I cannot have dairy anymore, but you could use Daiya cheese or if you are lucky enough to be able to eat dairy, use whatever cheese you like!  It might be delicious with some pepper jack, to spice it up a bit!

~You can also play with the veggies and use whatever you like!  Some other ideas are mushrooms, asparagus, tomatoes, spinach and broccoli!

~Of course you can make this meatless too by leaving out the meat and replacing it with more veggies!

Kirsten's Favorite Salad

After going Paleo recently (for elimination diet/allergy purposes), I came up with this little salad.  It's one of my favorite lunches!  I hope you like it!

Enjoy!
Kirsten

KIRSTEN'S FAVORITE SALAD

2-3 cups of your favorite greens
1 cup grilled chicken, chopped
1/2 cup of your favorite cheese, shredded or crumbled
1/2 cup small broccoli florets
1/8 cup sunflower seeds
1/8 cup fresh blueberries
2 tablespoons poppy seed dressing

1)  Place the greens in a large bowl or plate and top with the other ingredients.

2)  Toss with the dressing and enjoy!

NOTES:

~I like to use a variety of greens such as, baby spinach, kale, butter lettuce and romaine.

~For the chicken, I grill up 5-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts at a time, lightly seasoned with a little salt and paprika.  I chop them and put them into baggies in 1 cup servings, then I freeze them until I'm ready to use them.

~I like to use Monterey jack or Colby cheese.  I used to buy pre shredded, but after realizing they add a filler to keep the cheese from sticking together, I buy it in bricks and shred it myself, it's more natural that way.  This would also be delicious with bleu or gorgonzola cheese!  If you go that route, I might change the poppy seed to a raspberry vinaigrette!

~I had fresh blueberries from Michigan, but you could really use any berry in this recipe.  You can play with it and omit or add whatever you like!  This mix is just one of my favorites.

Beer Cheese Soup

Tried this recipe the other night for dinner!  Oh my, super delicious!!  I served it with gluten-free corn muffins and it was a hit at my house!  I didn't serve it to my kiddos, since the beer is added so near the end, and I don't think they would like the taste anyway, it's pretty strong, so I just made them chicken and cheese quesadillas while my husband and I enjoyed the soup!

Enjoy!
Kirsten

PS: The recipe comes from the 100 Best Gluten-Free Recipes cookbook, by Carol Fenster.

BEER CHEESE SOUP

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1/2 cup finely diced celery
1/2 cup finely diced carrot
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
2 cups gluten-free chicken broth, divided
2 tablespoons sweet rice flour
2 cups grated mild Cheddar cheese
1 - 12 oz. bottle gluten-free beer
2 teaspoons coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or 1 teaspoon dried, for garnish
Sweet paprika, for garnish

1)  In a heavy soup pot, heat the butter over medium heat.  Add the onion, celery and carrot and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

2)  Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook until the onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add the salt, nutmeg, cloves, pepper and 1 3/4 cups of the broth.  Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.

3)  In a medium bowl, whisk the rice flour with the remaining 1/4 cup broth until smooth and then add to the soup pot, stirring constantly, until the soup thickens slightly.  Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the Cheddar until it is thoroughly melted.

4)  Puree the soup in batches in a blender, or with an immersion hand blender if you prefer a smoother texture.

5)  Just before serving, add the beer to the soup and return the soup to the stove, bringing to serving temperature over low heat.  Garnish with the parsley and paprika and serve hot.

NOTES:

~I did not have white pepper, so I just used regular black pepper.  If you have white pepper, use that, but if you don't, don't sweat it!

~I recommend using a chicken broth that does not contain MSG.  The best thing is to make your own if you can!  I have a great recipe for it on my blog!

~I think I would recommend a lighter beer for this recipe.  I used an amber ale and it was pretty strong.  A little too strong, I think.  Next time I will try a pale ale or something a little lighter.

~You could also garnish with a little nutmeg, if you don't have any sweet paprika.  Regular paprika would work well too.  It's more just for looks anyway.

Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole

I made this recipe last night and my husband and I loved it!  It's total comfort food!  My kids hated it, unfortunately.  Yours might like it though; I know the author of the cook book that it's from says that her daughter loves it.  I think my kids aren't used to casseroles.  They are very funny about textures and one of them isn't real fond of cheese.  I think it could be made a little more kid friendly by using some American cheese in addition to the cheddar.  The broccoli and cheddar flavors are maybe a little on the bitter side for some kids.  The original recipe is not gluten-free, so I made some changes.

Enjoy!

Kirsten

PS: The recipe comes from one of my favorite cook books, 100 Days of Real Food by Lisa Leake.

CHEESY BROCCOLI RICE CASSEROLE

1 cup uncooked brown rice, cooked according to the package directions
3/4 pound broccoli, roughly chopped (4 or 5 cups) and steamed for about 5 minutes
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup diced onion
2 tablespoons gluten-free flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups grated sharp-cheddar cheese
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard
Ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup gluten-free bread crumbs
Extra-virgin olive oil

1)  Preheat the oven to 400F.

2)  Combine the cooked rice and broccoli in a large mixing bowl and set aside.

3)  Melt the butter in a medium sauté pan over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes.  Sprinkle in the flour and cook for 1 or 2 minutes, until the flour begins to brown, but doesn't burn, whisking almost continuously.

4)  Whisk in the milk, watching for lumps.  Sprinkle in the cheese, salt, mustard, and pepper and stir until well combined.  Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, until the mixture is the consistency of very thick gravy, less than 5 minutes.

5)  Pour the cheese sauce over the broccoli and rice.  Mix thoroughly and spread evenly in an 8x8-inch baking dish.

6)  Sprinkle the casserole with the bread crumbs and then drizzle (or spray) enough olive oil over the top to coat the bread crumbs.

7)  Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until the bread crumbs are nicely browned.  Serve warm.

NOTES:

~I was short on time, so I didn't use brown rice, I used minute rice instead.  If I had more time, I would definitely use brown rice, since it's much healthier than white, especially minute rice, but in a pinch, minute rice will work.  I used 2 cups of rice/2 cups of water and it made just the right amount.

~I chopped the broccoli pretty small, to make it a little kid friendlier.

~I used a flour blend that I made, but you could use any gluten-free flour.

~I used dry mustard instead of regular mustard.  I didn't measure it, but I'm guessing I used about 1/2 teaspoon.

~I used butter on the top instead of olive oil.  Just cut some small chunks and lay them all around the top.

~I think this would also be delicious, and a little healthier, if you added some cooked chicken to it.  I may try that next time, to make it more of a well balanced meal.

Sea Salt's Tomato and Red Cabbage Soup

I tried this soup for the first time today - it's super yummy! It has a citrus flavor, probably from the tomatoes.  I can see this side by side with a nice grilled cheese sandwich or maybe something fancier than that!  Maybe the first course to a special meal!  It's delicious, and healthy!

Enjoy!
Kirsten

PS: This recipe comes from the book Grain Brain, by David Perlmutter, MD

SEA SALT'S TOMATO AND RED CABBAGE SOUP

1/2 cup olive oil (divided)
1 Vidalia onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
2 - 28 oz. cans San Marzano tomatoes
1 red cabbage, chopped
5 fresh basil leaves (plus more for the garnish)
6 cups chicken stock
6 cups vegetable stock
Salt and pepper to taste

1)  In a large soup pot, over medium-high heat, add half of the olive oil and sweat the onions, celery and garlic until translucent (about 5 minutes).

2)  Add the tomatoes, red cabbage, basil leaves, chicken and vegetable stocks and bring to a boil.

3)  Lower the heat to medium and continue to cook at a low boil for 25-30 minutes.

4)  Add the remaining olive oil, season with salt and pepper and let the soup stand for 10 minutes.

5)  Puree the soup with a hand blender or transfer to a blender to puree.

6)  Garnish with a couple of basil leaves, optional.  Serve.

NOTES:

~I used Borrelli San Marzano Tomatoes

~If you can get organic ingredients, I always recommend it, even if you have to pay a little more!

~I used home made chicken stock that I had in the freezer.  I froze it in two cup bags, to make it easy to use in recipes later.  Home made stock is super simple and you can let it cook in your slow cooker overnight!  Check out the recipe for Overnight Chicken Stock in the Slow Cooker on my blog!

~If you don't make your own stock, make sure to buy one without MSG!  I like Kitchen Basics brand.

~I used my immersion hand blender to puree the soup.  I highly recommend that method if you own an immersion blender!  If not, you can transfer the soup to your counter top blender and do it that way.  I had to blend it for quite a while to get the lumps out.  If you feel little lumps on your tongue when you taste it, just keep blending!  They will go away and it will be smooth!

Do-Ahead Lasagna Logs

I bought a cook book with my kids in mind.  It's called the Pillsbury Kids Cook Book (Food Fun For Boys And Girls).  It has tons of cute and yummy recipes for kids and it's written like the kids will be making the recipes!  My youngest son, who's 7, was looking through it the other day flagging recipes he wants to try.  He marked this one, so I made it for him tonight (I'm not ready to let my 7 year old hyper active son work with a large pot of boiling water, LOL).  Anyway, it was a hit with the whole family, and I love that you can freeze them individually and reheat them for a quick and easy meal.  I'm sure your family will love it too - and of course - it's gluten-free!

Enjoy!
Kirsten

DO-AHEAD LASAGNA LOGS

14 uncooked gluten-free lasagna noodles
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 - 15 oz. container ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1 jar gluten-free tomato pasta sauce

1)  Fill a large saucepan about half full with water.  Heat the water over medium-high heat until boiling.  Add the lasagna noodles (whole, do not break them) and cook until done, about 7-8 minutes.  Drain them right away in a colander.

2)  While the noodles are cooking, mix the following ingredients in a small bowl: egg, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese and basil leaves.  Mix well and set aside.

3)  Heat the pasta sauce in a medium saucepan until hot.  Optional:  Brown a pound of ground beef, drain fat, then add to the pasta sauce.

4)  Put the cooked noodles on the counter, being careful not to rip them.  Using a knife, spread a thin layer of the cheese mixture on each noodle, leaving about 1/2 inch at one end.  Start rolling at the other end and finish where you left the space.  Repeat until all of the noodles are filled and rolled.  Lay them seam side down.

5)  If eating right away, microwave the logs individually (or two per person) on a plate about 1 minute until the cheese starts to melt.  Add the hot pasta sauce over the top and serve.

NOTES:

~I used DeBoles Gluten Free Rice Lasagna.

~I used Organicville Tomato Basil pasta sauce.

~The original recipe called for low-fat cottage cheese, but I prefer ricotta.  You can use either.  Using ricotta makes it creamier and not so lumpy, which may be more appealing to kids!

~I cooked my noodles in two batches.  It just seemed like too much for my pot.  If you can fit all of them in one pot without overfilling it, go for it!  Just make sure they have room to move!

~Any left over logs, or if you are making them ahead to eat later or at a later date, just wrap them tightly in saran wrap and either freeze or refrigerate them.  Then just heat them individually in the microwave when you are ready to eat them, cover with sauce and you have a super quick and delicious meal!  You could also put a number of them in a baking dish, cover with the sauce and heat them in the oven until bubbly and heated through.  I would say 350 for 25-30 minutes would do it, but I haven't tried it with this recipe, so just test to make sure they are heated through.  We were in a hurry so we used the microwave for the logs and heated the sauce on the stove top.

Cauliflower Soup

This is my husband's favorite soup!  I made it yesterday, just in time for a huge snow storm and the super bowl!  With a touch of hot sauce to spice it up, I guarantee it will become a favorite at your house!  The original recipe wasn't gluten free and called for chicken bouillon, so I changed it up a bit to make it a little healthier and gluten free!

Enjoy!
Kirsten

CAULIFLOWER SOUP

1 medium head cauliflower, chopped small
1 medium carrot, shredded or chopped thin
1/4 cup chopped celery
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons gluten free flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 cups milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 to 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, optional

1)  In a large saucepan, combine the cauliflower, carrot, celery and chicken stock.  Bring to a boil.

2)  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until veggies are tender (do not drain).

3)  In another large saucepan, melt butter.  Stir in the flour, salt and pepper until smooth.

4)  Gradually add milk.  Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

5)  Reduce heat.  Stir in cheese until melted.  Add hot pepper sauce if desired.

6)  Stir into the cauliflower mixture.

NOTES:

~I used home made chicken stock, which is so much better and healthier than store bought.  It's simple to make after cooking a whole chicken in the crock pot!  Check out the recipes for the chicken and the overnight chicken stock on my blog!  If you use store bought, make sure to get one without MSG!

~I double the recipe and freeze half.

~I used sorghum flour, but I'm sure most any gluten free flour would be fine.

~I usually throw in a handful of extra cheese and some extra hot sauce, we like it spicy!

Tabouleh Salad

This is a recipe that I got from my cousin Kristin.  She made it for a family get together and I had to have the recipe!  It's super healthy, delicious and of course, gluten-free!

Enjoy!
Kirsten

TABOULEH SALAD

1 cup quinoa (cooked)
1 cup loosely packed, roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 cups diced tomatoes
1/4 cup green onion, chopped
1 cup diced cucumber

DRESSING:

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1) To prepare the dressing, in a small non-reactive bowl, whisk together all ingredients.  Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.

2)  In a large salad bowl, toss together the parsley, tomatoes, green onions and cucumber.

3)  Add the quinoa (after it has cooled).

4)  Pour dressing over salad and toss to combine.

5)  Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.

Fried Rice

Someone brought this dish to a potluck at school recently and I had to have the recipe!  It was so delicious and it's super easy to make!  I love that it's so versatile too - and of course - gluten-free!

Enjoy!
Kirsten

FRIED RICE

2 cups rice, uncooked
1/2 cup olive oil
4 cups water
1/2 of an onion, chopped
2 cups fresh mushrooms
1/4 cup Bragg's Liquid Amino
6 eggs

1)  Fry the rice in oil until golden brown.  Add the water and onion.  Cover and simmer until the rice is tender (about 20 minutes).

2)  Remove from heat and mix in the mushrooms and liquid amino.  In a separate skillet, scramble the eggs and then add it to the rice mixture.

NOTES:

~You could also add cooked meat (chicken, shrimp or beef), bean sprouts or peanuts.

~For more flavor, add additional Bragg's Liquid Amino.

Mexican Quinoa Salad

We had a big potluck luncheon at our school last week and one of the moms made this delicious salad!  Everyone was raving about it and asking for the recipe!  The flavors are fresh and the quinoa is packed with protein!  It's a great meatless meal and it's super yummy!

Enjoy!
Kirsten

MEXICAN QUINOA SALAD

1 1/2 cups water
1 cup quinoa, rinsed with cold water and drained
1/2 cup seeded and chopped red or yellow bell peppers
1 small jalapeno, seeded and diced finely (optional)
1 small red onion, or 2 green onions, chopped fine
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 (15-ounce) can pinto or other beans (red kidney or black), drained and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup salsa
Juice of 1 lime (or two if small or not super juicy)
1 tablespoon canola oil
Freshly ground pepper
Sea salt

1)  Heat the water to boiling in a 2-quart saucepan and add the quinoa.  Lower the heat to medium-low and cover.  Cook until the liquid is absorbed, 15-20 minutes.  Remove from heat and cool.

2)  When the quinoa has cooled, add the peppers, onions, tomatoes, beans, cumin, cilantro, salsa, oil and lime juice.

3)  Season with salt and pepper and toss to blend well.  Chill before serving.

NOTES:

~The lady who made it doubled the recipe (the single recipe serves 4) and she also doubled the lime juice per recipe.

~I don't recommend using canola oil, because it is GMO, so I would recommend grape seed oil instead.

Captain Mac

Homemade macaroni and cheese, who doesn't love that?  This is a great comfort food recipe that is made in the slow cooker!  We had lots of leftovers, and honestly, I thought it just got better and better!  Oh, and of course, it's gluten free!!

Enjoy!
Kirsten

PS: The recipe comes from my friend Cheryl Moeller's new cookbook, Creative Slow Cooker Meals.

CAPTAIN MAC

1 lb. gluten free elbow macaroni
6 oz. colby cheese, shredded
6 oz. asiago cheese, shredded
6 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
4 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1)  Cook macaroni according to package directions until just shy of al dente.  Drain and transfer to slow cooker.  Mix in butter and cheese.

2)  In separate bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, salt, pepper and dry mustard.  Pour over macaroni.  Cover and cook on low for 2 to 3 hours.

NOTES:

~I didn't have asiago cheese, so I just used whatever I had on hand and it was delicious.  You can always mix up your cheeses depending on your taste or what you have on hand at the time!

Best Three-Cheese Fondue

I have made this cheese fondue many times and it is by far my favorite recipe!  There are many good gluten-free breads you can use for dipping and apples are good too!

Enjoy!
Kirsten

PS: This recipe comes from allrecipes.com.

BEST THREE-CHEESE FONDUE

1 cup white wine
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon gluten-free flour
7 ounces Gruyere cheese, cubed
7 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, cubed
7 ounces Emmentaler cheese, cubed

1)  Bring the wine to a boil in a small saucepan.

2)  Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium low heat.  Whisk in the flour and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly to avoid sticking and burning.

3)  Once the flour is cooked, stir the wine into the flour mixture slowly.  Use a whisk to smooth the mixture.  Slowly add cubes of cheese; stir until cheese is melted.  Transfer cheese mixture to a fondue pot.  Keep warm over low flame.

Crustless Spinach Quiche

My sister-in-law Martha is a wonderful cook and she gave me this recipe a few years ago.  Believe it or not, I can get my kids to eat it!  It's definitely not dairy-free, but it is gluten-free and you could definitely alter the recipe to make it dairy-free as well.

Enjoy!
Kirsten


CRUSTLESS SPINACH QUICHE

3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup milk
6 eggs
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 package (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and well drained
4 green onions, finely chopped
5 fresh mushrooms, sliced

1)  In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese.  Add milk, eggs and pepper and beat until smooth.

2)  Stir in remaining ingredients.

3)  Transfer to a 10 inch quiche pan or a pie plate coated with Pam and bake at 350F for 45-50 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

NOTES:

~I used a 9 inch pie plate and it works just fine.

~The key to making this kid-friendly is to chop the veggies up small!

~Serve it with some cornbread and you have an easy and healthy meal!